《42 Looper [Isekai / Time Loop / LitRPG]》 Launch Announcement - Not part of the book It¡¯s coming! January 6th, the first 14 chapters of 42 Looper will start dropping at 8:02am CST and I¡¯ll drop a new chapter every 20 minutes Here''s the blurb and I hope you''ll join me on this amazing ride! All she wanted was a bag of peanuts and a soda before class, yet Penelope Flynn never got to pay for the items in her hands. Shoplifting was the least of her worries, as she found herself in the middle of a large group of people on a different planet. Being the Chosen One, who will lead this group of humans and the non-humans in the city to stop a demon invasion, sounds like an easy task, except... she¡¯s not the first person picked for the role. She''s the forty-second.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Follow Penelope as she wrestles with Demons, both metaphorical and literal, and tries to find a way to save not just those around her but also the entire universe from the Demons forty-one previous loopers couldn¡¯t stop. What to expect: [+] Neurodivergent female MC [+] Weak to strong progression [+] Third-person personal perspective [+] Snarky system companion (He swears he¡¯s not a parasite) [+] Time Loop AND LitRPG [+] 1,400 - 2,000 word chapters (average is 1,633) [+] NO HAREM (No romance after the first chapter) [+] Release schedule: 14 chapters day one, then daily M - F. There¡¯s 62 completed chapters in the first book and a 10-book outline. Chapter 1 - Youre Not in Ar-kansas Anymore Blinding light. Penelope Flynn had been picking up a soda and some peanuts from the gas station on her way to class. It was supposed to be a quick trip for some snacks before her Differential Equations final, but now the red-haired twenty-two-year-old couldn¡¯t see because of a light so bright that it burned even through closed eyelids. As soon as the light dimmed, she opened her eyes and realized she wasn¡¯t in the gas station anymore. She was outside, with hundreds of people around her. Hundreds of voices assaulted her ears all at once. Her heart sped up, pounding against her chest as her mind demanded an answer to the torrent of questions the voices were asking all at once. Where are we? What happened? Who are all these people? Penelope pushed those questions out of her mind because there was another one that was taking precedence. How do I get out of the crowd??? She was near the center of the crowd that was boxed in by three dull concrete buildings and a fourth that was nothing but rubble and smoke. Her eyes spotted the alley streets at the corners, but there were too many people to get through. An impact on her left side jarred her back to reality. ¡°Hey!¡± Snarled a large man with a tattoo of a dragon climbing up his arm. He turned around to glare at her. ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going!¡± He bumped into me! Penelope wanted to tell him that she hadn¡¯t moved, but he was almost six feet tall. That gave him eight inches on her five-foot-four frame, and he was easily twice her weight. She couldn¡¯t look directly into the raging brown eyes above the sneer for more than a moment, so she focused on his nose instead. ¡°Sorry.¡± Her adrenaline kicked in before he could reply, and she dashed through the first opening she saw. The hole on her right didn¡¯t last long, as the crowd closed in around her, knocking her off balance and cutting off any easy escape. The volume of the crowd escalated around her, once again drowning her thoughts. ¡°WHAT DID YOU SAY?¡± ¡°FIGHT!¡± ¡°STOP IT!¡± ¡°MOVE!¡± Fists started flying to her left. The crowd bunched up to get away from the brawl, knocking over some bystanders in the rush. Penelope reached to help a fallen woman up, but she was still holding the soda and peanuts that she hadn¡¯t paid for in either hand. By the time she switched the bag of peanuts into her right hand with the soda, the crowd had pushed her out of sight of the brunette on the pavement. To make herself smaller, Penelope scrunched her arms in front of her, burying her elbows in her stomach. Another fight broke out, and there were more arguments than she could keep track of. Her head was buzzing, and her lungs felt like she was breathing ice by the time she worked her way to the edge. Breaking free of the crowd, she released a breath that she hadn¡¯t realized that she¡¯d been holding. Putting what distance she could between herself and the crowd, she finally sank to the ground with her back against the cold, rough concrete of one of the buildings lining the square. Huh, I thought it¡¯d be warm. Penelope put down her items, the only things that she owned, as she closed her eyes and focused on calming her pulse. After a minute of breathing, she was able to reach a more manageable rate. The sky overhead looked overcast, but instead of clouds, there was an oily bubble above her. The rays of sunlight visible to her right refracted into random rainbows that flashed across the surface. They were mesmerizing to look at, but she would have to stare at them some other time. Right now, her focus was on where she was, and the most apparent thing about her current location was that it wasn¡¯t Arkansas.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. A minty scent danced on the gentle breeze, at a level that she¡¯d only smelled before at flower shops. She couldn''t hear any other noises than the people in front of her, which was something that she would have expected from a city with buildings like the one she was propped against. The stimuli threatened to overwhelm her; she needed to calm her reeling mind. Numbers were always how she grounded herself. A simple calculation could give her an idea of the number of people in the crowd. She just needed a frame of reference, so she turned her focus towards the buildings across the plaza. The buildings are six windows wide and two windows tall. Except the middle two, and those are three, but that doesn¡¯t matter for the length. Anyway, assuming each window is to a room that¡¯s ten feet wide, that¡¯s sixty feet. There were about six square feet around me when I could see again, which means there are¡ª ¡°Six hundred people.¡± A male voice finished the thought she had been about to announce. Penelope¡¯s eyes widened as she looked up at the man in front of her. He stood with a sense of authority, like he knew exactly what was going on. He was tall and wearing jeans and a tight shirt that advertised just how fit he was. The blond man smiled at her. ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°What you were about to say.¡± His blue eyes sparkled as he held out his hand to help her stand. ¡°Every time, it¡¯s so adorable.¡± Penelope started to take his hand, then stood on her own. The man in front of her was boxing her into the wall and looming over her, but she didn¡¯t feel like she was in danger. What did he mean ¡®every time¡¯? And why is he acting like he knows me? I¡¯ve never seen him before! ¡°Hey.¡± The stranger grabbed her arm and pulled her close to him. Penelope was as stunned as she was confused. Her body should have been screaming for her to break free and run, yet it was leaning into the hug, taking confused comfort in the gentle embrace. GREETINGS HUMANS! The upper half of a man with blue skin appeared above the ruins of the entire northern side. His piercing black eyes looked down at everyone in the square. Penelope shifted to look around the stranger¡¯s chest up at the image of the pointy-eared man. The blond man let her go so she could see better. ¡°Ugh, I can¡¯t listen to this again.¡± The stranger pinched his brow. ¡°Pea, I hate to do this to you¡­¡± Hearing her childhood nickname froze Penelope in place. No one had called her that in over a decade. He dug around in his right pants pocket, then pulled out an index card covered in a faint glow. She tightened as he pushed her against the wall. ¡°I just can¡¯t do this anymore.¡± He shoved the card against her collarbone. Sparks ran over her body as the card melted through her green shirt and buried itself under her skin. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Shh¡­¡± He put a finger on her lips. ¡°I hope you can figure this out.¡± Sorrow filled his blue eyes. ¡°I really think you¡¯re the one. I really do. I just wish I could see you do it.¡± He moved his hand up from her neck to cup her cheek. Penelope¡¯s pulse accelerated so fast her heart felt like it was hitting against her ribcage. She felt the tingle when their lips touched all the way to her toes. She couldn¡¯t pull away. That electricity locked her feet in place and kept her from moving. A complete stranger was kissing her with more passion than she¡¯d ever felt from any boyfriend, but she still didn¡¯t know his name. Her mind screamed for answers while her body melted into it like they had done this thousands of times. Her lips weren¡¯t ready for the kiss to end as he pulled away. She was about to say something when she noticed the tears gathering in his eyes. His face was too sad for something that had felt so confusingly amazing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to do this to you. Just¡­¡± A tear rolled down his cheek. ¡°This is so wrong, but..." More tears followed the first. ¡°This is a horrible way to say goodbye¡­¡± ¡°Wha¡ª¡± A sharp pain silenced her vocal cords. Penelope grabbed her neck with both hands and felt the warm liquid running over her fingers.The knife in his hands with her blood running off of the tip told her everything that she needed to know about what had just happened, but her mouth couldn¡¯t form the words to ask why. Black spots crept across her vision, but she could still see well enough to watch the weapon fall to the concrete. The warmth drained from her body, but she could still feel his arms as he caught her and pulled her into his lap as she fell. She couldn¡¯t see her killer, but she could feel tears hitting the top of her head. His gentle touch was so wrong compared to what he¡¯d just done. Yet she wasn¡¯t panicking as she stared back at the rainbows she had wanted to examine more in the future. A future it seemed she would no longer have. As Penelope lost consciousness, she heard her killer¡¯s broken voice utter three words before she died. ¡°I love you.¡± Chapter 2 - Arriving Again Blinding light. Penelope slapped herself in the throat with the plastic soda bottle in her right hand. She doubled over as she fell to her knees, choking while the bottle spun away into the crowd. The bag of peanuts fell out of her hand as she covered her very much intact neck. What¡­? Her mind couldn¡¯t formulate the rest of the question. There were too many things that she wanted to know and too many questions about what had just happened. ¡°UGH!¡± She felt a heavy weight slide over her back. The three hundred-and-something-pound man who had yelled at her earlier had just backed over her and fallen into the scrawny man on the other side of her. ¡°HEY!¡± The scrawny man got knocked over too but was the first one on his feet. ¡°What are you doing!?¡± He angrily brushed the dust from his oil-stained coveralls. ¡°SHE TRIPPED ME!!!¡± The mountain of a man rolled over so he could push himself up. ¡°SHE TRIED TO KILL ME!¡± Penelope stood up and started to back away. The noise of the crowd grew louder as people turned to watch this drama unfold instead of the other pockets of fighting that they couldn¡¯t see. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡± She looked around for anyone who might be sympathetic, but everyone seemed more eager to watch the situation unfold rather than cross the huge man. She did the only safe thing her overwhelmed mind screamed. Penelope bolted. ¡°Somebody grab her!¡± The big man sliced his hand through the air at the fleeing woman. Penelope twisted her way through the crowd as she ran for all she was worth, bouncing off of people in her way more often than she was able to force her way through them. She looked over her shoulder every few seconds, but soon there was nothing but a crowd. Then she passed the last person in the group. She¡¯d been so focused on getting away that she hadn¡¯t looked where she was running. This time, she was on the opposite end from where she¡¯d watched everything happen earlier. Except there was no big blue Elf floating above the rubble. From the front of the crowd, Penelope could see why the building on the northern side was smoking. An ominous black door was in the middle of the building. Everything that had been part of the building had gotten thrown to the side, with some of the debris still on fire. It was like the door had risen out of the ground and split the building in half. Above the door was a blue banner, the same color as the Elf¡¯s skin had been. On the banner were numbers. 4:00:00:00 There were a few courageous people who had walked towards the door. A blonde woman in a tennis skirt with a racket in her hand. A red-bearded man in hip waders in his mid-forties. His hands were empty, but the callouses told the story of how much he worked with his hands. Last was a teenage gamer who had headphones on over his neck and a Superman t-shirt. Penelope backed away from the curious people. There was no way that she was going to walk into a set of double doors with a countdown over it without some type of explanation. Plus, there was a killer out there somewhere. She smirked as she hurried towards the side street.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Every time? Try to find me this time, weirdo! The thin woman had read enough books and seen enough shows to know that she¡¯d gone back in time to before she¡¯d been killed. The problem was that she didn¡¯t know who else had come back too. Until she knew more about what triggered the reset and what the time limit on it was, she wanted to get as far away from the crowd as possible. ¡°GREETING HUMANS!¡± Penelope jumped as the upper half of the same blue Elf appeared above her. She ran to the end of the square and put her back against the cool concrete. Once she was clear of the crowd and the ruined building, that same minty hint in the air filled her nostrils. She¡¯d been too preoccupied last time, but the crowd had stopped talking, then she heard someone yell something, then another. She couldn¡¯t make out the questions, but she could tell by the tone that they weren¡¯t pleasant.The group of three backed away from the portal and looked up at the image of the Elf. ¡°You may be wondering why you are here.¡± The Elf looked sad as he scanned the crowd. ¡°Allow me to tell you a story. In the future, the Universe is attacked by Demons. Brave beings from all races fought bravely, but we were no match for their power or numbers. Before we could be defeated, all of our remaining mages gave their magic to me so that I could go back in time and find out how to stop this scourge.¡± There were rumbles in the crowd and a few loud curses.The blue Elf continued, oblivious to anything that they were saying. ¡°After decades of combing the timeline, I finally found the first place that they broke into our world. I attempted to close it off, but they still broke through. I alone wasn¡¯t enough to hold back the army that is about to invade this world and then the rest of the universe, so I used the last of my power to summon you. Humans are known to be the most adaptable and the most resourceful of all the races in the universe. My hope is that you will be able to succeed where I could not.¡± Penelope¡¯s eyes widened. Her mind was trying to absorb everything. Even with the ability to reset, it¡¯s not like we have any weapons. ¡°I know that humans cannot use magic yet, so I found a loophole. Each of you has been implanted with a Mantle, which will allow you to use magic as well as increase your physical abilities. Whenever you kill a Demon, your Mantle will absorb their essence, allowing it to grow more powerful. In time, I hope powerful enough.¡± People cheered, others screamed, and some cried. A small person in a red hoodie ran down the alley beside Penelope while the entire crowd was buzzing with noise. ¡°It¡¯s not just you that this power has been gifted to. Under this dome are Elves, Mebope, Sively, Goblins, Centaurs, and Unktehila. These allies may seem strange to you, but if you all work together, I believe you will be able to stop this evil from destroying our world.¡± Images flashed in front of the projection. Another Elf, this one with golden skin and brown hair with white pupils that made him look blind. He wore a black suit, giving him an air of authority. Next was a silver-skinned, pointy-eared woman with black hair and blue eyes in a scaley dress on a dock. She dove into the water, and her legs transformed into a dolphin tail. A hairless orange man with black, leathery wings flew above her. He was dressed in coveralls and carrying a wooden crate in his arms as he flew. A yellow Goblin with short, black hair and beady yellow eyes wearing a black suit replaced the image. The short man stood in front of an extravagant building, the words CASINO stamped on the arch above him. Centaurs in overalls worked in a cornfield in the next image, with the last one cutting to an underground mine filled with lizardmen, tearing into the ground with shovels and pickaxes. The Elf took a deep breath as the images vanished. ¡°Those are the races that you share this city with, though I caution you to wait before venturing into the city.¡± The Elf scanned the crowd, ignoring their loud questions. He pointed below him at the numbers. ¡°Over the gateway is a clock. Every time you clear a floor, the timer will gain time. If you fail to clear the floor in time, the Demons will break free.¡± The Elf swallowed. ¡°The dome around you will stop the Demons from getting into the rest of the universe. It will hold for five years, which is all the time you have until the Archdemon breaks free. Know that I am truly sorry, but your world will be destroyed eventually if you fail. May the light keep you.¡± The crowd erupted in chaos when the Elf vanished. Chapter 3 - Plot Armor The crowd was too loud. Penelope couldn¡¯t think with all the noise, so she ducked down the alley, hurrying towards the other end of the building. For an alley only wide enough for three people to walk side by side, there was very little that could be considered trash on the ground. A few blue, diamond-shaped leaves the size of her palm, a green rose with a red stem, and a couple of white-barked sticks as thick as two of her fingers. Dirt and dust were absent, as if the alley had been swept earlier that morning. Sirens erupted over the entire city as the native residents reacted to the dome that cut them off from the rest of the world. Even with everything that had happened, Penelope hadn¡¯t grasped just how foreign of a place she had been brought to until she made it to the end of the alley. The parking lot was wider than the square she had just left, devoid of anything except a line of trees that separated the spaces. Every one of them had the blue diamond-shaped leaves in the alley. They looked like tall mushrooms with how they were rounded on top and the branches all curved up from a bare trunk for most of the length of the tree. The spaces themselves weren¡¯t very noticeable. It wasn¡¯t marked with white paint that marked the parking spots like back home, but a dull gold that didn¡¯t stand out well against the gray cement. A wall surrounded the parking lot, walling off what she could see of the compound. The only opening to whatever lay beyond was an arch with script that Penelope couldn¡¯t read. The more she looked at the letters, the more they shifted, causing her eyes to lose focus. Penelope blinked and rubbed her eyes, and when she looked again, she could read the writing. University Dimar Satellite The person in the hoodie was nowhere to be seen. The campus was deserted, showing no trace of the natives the Elf had referenced. Behind her, the sound of the other people who¡¯d been taken with her built into a wave. It kept growing louder until it crashed over Penelope like a violent storm at sea. She put her hands over her ears and ran into the parking lot. Her first target was the closest line of trees. There was a peace that came from being nestled safe in the high branches, far from the noises of the world below. But these trees were all only ten feet tall, and while she could reach the lower branches if she jumped, it wasn¡¯t the promise of security that she was looking for. The noise of the square ebbed the further she ran. The outer wall on the other side of the parking lot had three-foot-tall bushes spaced just far enough away from it for a person to nestle between them. Penelope dashed through the empty space, into the bushes, and rested her back against the wall and her knees against her chest. Her chest heaved as she peered at the parking lot through the branches. Her breathing began to calm as the sound of her heart stopped thumping in her ears. The minty smell she had noticed earlier was even stronger now. She reached forward and plucked one of the leaves off the bush in front of her and brought it to her face. The strong mint scent filled her nose. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of a mint bush.¡± Penelope flicked the crushed leaf away from her. She closed her eyes and took in the world around her. The stone wall at her back was firm and smooth, like it had been carved out of a single rock. Which would have taken an enormous amount of manpower to move, considering it ran for hundreds of feet in either direction. The grass under her was like sitting on air, while the air that filled her lungs was refreshing, like she was breathing in life itself. The morning sun was in her face, but it comforted her freckled skin, which was a new sensation to her pale complexion.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. The noise of the square had faded to nothing more than a dull buzz, something that she could ignore without much of a thought. Penelope allowed herself to take in the natural senses until she was interrupted by a male voice. ¡°The universe is falling apart, and you¡¯re sleeping?¡± ¡°Gah!¡± Penelope¡¯s eyes flashed open, and her head swished back and forth as she searched for the owner of the voice. She was alone next to the fence. No one had even followed her down the alley. ¡°Some chosen you are.¡± The voice was somewhat familiar as it complained. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Master Jeru Bannem.¡± The blue Elf that had been towering over the entrance to the Dungeon walked through the bushes. All six inches of him. An Elf in a purple robe with gold trim shook his head as he floated up in front of her face. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be fighting Demons in that incursion, and you¡¯re out hiding in the bushes.¡± He floated right up to her nose and booped it. Penelope tried to grab him, but her hand passed right through him. The Elf laughed. ¡°The one constant on every one of these trips.¡± He wiped his eyes. ¡°Dear, you can¡¯t touch me any more than I can eat a roc wing.¡± Jeru licked his lips. ¡°They aren¡¯t extinct anymore, and I can¡¯t eat anything. Bah!¡± ¡°What are you?¡± She blew a stray red hair out of her face as she swiped her hand through him. ¡°Think of me as your guide.¡± The Elf flew up to her neck and touched her collarbone. The card that had been put there flared to life and enlarged as it opened to a three-foot square in front of her. The translucent screen had two words in the middle. Plot Armor The little Elf let out a belly laugh and pointed at her. ¡°You get it?¡± ¡°What. Is. That?¡± Penelope tried to touch it, but her hand went through that too. ¡°It¡¯s your plot armor, girlie.¡± Jeru grinned. ¡°Because you can¡¯t die.¡± ¡°But I died.¡± The confused woman rubbed her pale neck where she had been stabbed. ¡°Yes, yes. But you¡¯re still alive, so did you really die?¡± He bounced his eyebrows. Penelope glared at him while she remembered the pain, the cold, then nothing. ¡°YES! You little¡ª¡± Jeru grew to ten feet tall and looked down at her. Penelope tried to back up, but her back was already pressed against the smooth rock. She turned to her left and tucked her feet under her as she prepared to sprint. Massive hands slapped the ground in front of her. Despite her not being able to touch him, she felt the air rush past her on either side. ¡°Not so cocky when you¡¯re the smaller one?¡± Jeru shrank down to just over six feet tall. He walked over to the wall to her left and leaned on it. ¡°Camadt got your tongue?¡± He grinned, then gestured at the screen. The two words were still there, staring back at both of them. ¡°What¡ª?¡± ¡°I already told you what happened, what I am, and what this is.¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°How many ¡®what¡¯s¡¯ are you going to ask?¡± Penelope took a deep breath and started to say something but stopped. The moment her green eyes looked into his black ones, it was like her soul was getting sucked out. She turned back to the screen as she sat down. ¡°Am I the only one who¡­¡± She touched her chest. ¡°Only one looper at a time.¡± Jeru grumbled out the answer like he¡¯d given it a hundred times already. ¡°Two would¡¯ve made this so much easier.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you do it?¡± ¡°Girlie, you have no idea how much magic it took for me¡­¡± The Elf stopped when he saw the confused look on her face. ¡°You meant why didn¡¯t I loop.¡± Penelope nodded. The blue man grimaced. ¡°Desperation?¡± He nodded. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a good word for it.¡± Jeru coughed into his hand. ¡°Talking about the past won¡¯t help you move forward, so how about we go over what you can do so you can get to kicking some Demon butt?¡± Chapter 4 - The Chaotic Butterfly The words on the screen shifted:
Penelope Flynn
Level 1 - Caster
4 Power 3 Defense 8 Speed
10 Magic 6 Recovery 3 Aura
¡°Caster?¡± Jeru wrinkled his blue nose. ¡°Might have well said your class was a glass cannon.¡± ¡°If I¡¯m a Caster, then what spells do I know?¡± Penelope looked at her hands, then at the blue Elf leaning over her against the stone wall. ¡°I don¡¯t feel like I know any.¡± ¡°So impatient¡­¡± He ran his hand through his short hair as he sighed. ¡°But it is your first time. Here.¡± He flicked his wrist and the screen changed.
Choose Element
Light Acid Dark
Fire Air Water Earth
Electric Metal Ice Nature
Penelope read the options, then stood up as she looked towards the man next to her. ¡°Which element should I pick?¡± ¡°I dunno.¡± Penelope put her pale right hand against her chest as she felt it tighten. ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t know! Haven¡¯t you done this before?¡± ¡°7,541.¡± He forced a grin and looked towards the square as the wind blew the minty smell of the bushes around them. ¡°Which makes this take number 7,542.¡± He looked over at her. ¡°Ironically, you¡¯re the forty-second person to try it.¡± Penelope felt her heart speed up. ¡°If you¡¯ve done it that many times, can¡¯t you tell me something about what I should do to¡ª¡± ¡°Tried that. Doesn¡¯t work.¡± Jeru twirled his hand. ¡°Each looper is different because of how they start and what they do. This affects things the further out you go. You probably have heard of the butterfly effect?¡± Penelope looked away from the screen. She couldn¡¯t look Jeru in the face because those voids of eyes drew her in. Not that she could look most people in the eyes for long, but his bottomless orbs made her feel cornered, so she focused on his lips. ¡°Yes¡­ But don¡¯t you have certain events that you know will happen? Like cause and effect?¡± Penelope swallowed and focused on leveling her breathing. ¡°Just breathe.¡± Jeru shook his head. ¡°I forgot you are like this. Here.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. The Elf vanished. ¡°Better?¡± The man¡¯s voice came from the screen. The crushing pressure was still there, but it was lifting. Penelope nodded, then her eyes went wide. ¡°Can you still see me?¡± ¡°Girlie, I can always see you. I am part of the anchor that is in you, so I see everything around you, all the time.¡± ¡°Everything?¡± She folded her arms tight against her chest. ¡°Is there a way to turn that off?¡± ¡°Sure, if you want the loop to end, the universe to be overrun by Demons, and the world as you know it to end.¡± The Elf growled, then sighed. ¡°I mean, Earth is going to get messed up soon anyway, but that¡¯s a whole different situation that you don¡¯t need to worry about. The point is, is your modesty worth the destruction of the universe?¡± Penelope didn¡¯t answer right away. It¡¯s a simple answer, but why does it feel like I¡¯m giving up a piece of myself for¡­ nothing? ¡°You don¡¯t have to say it. Let¡¯s get back to your question. There were just over six hundred people in that plaza. When one of them starts doing something, it triggers an entirely new series of events. But what if George or Elle are the ones to beat their wings differently?¡± The screen changed from her stats to a graph. It had a line shooting out of the bottom left corner with Penelope on it. Two more lines started growing, one with George and the other with Elle on them. They were close to the same angle, but the further out they got the farther apart they were. ¡°This is the basic principle; a closer version to reality is more like this.¡± Penelope¡¯s line turned red, George¡¯s turned green, and Elle¡¯s turned blue. Dots appeared all over the graph. The lines bounced off of any dot they touched, turning the graph from a set of three straight lines into a mess of scribbles. ¡°Each dot is an event, and you¡¯ll notice¡­¡± The right half of the lines lit up. ¡°They start behaving differently even when they strike the same event.¡± The graph split into three layers as the screen got thicker. ¡°That¡¯s not even the closest one I can give you. This¡­¡± Each line had its own screen, and each time a line hit a dot, the dot moved, as did all the other dots. Some dots vanished while sometimes new dots appeared that weren¡¯t on the other two graphs. ¡°Is the closest I can show you.¡± ¡°You could have just said that Elle wouldn¡¯t react the same way when I said the same thing to her as when George did.¡± Penelope tapped on her arm. ¡°Graphs are more fun.¡± Jeru laughed. ¡°So there is no point in me telling you what others have done because it won¡¯t go the same way.¡± The pleasant tone in his voice vanished. ¡°Which is good, because they all failed.¡± ¡°I really think you¡¯re the one. I really do.¡± Penelope pushed the words out of her head. She didn¡¯t want to deal with that right now. That stranger had killed her and given her this burden. She hoped that she didn¡¯t run into him because she wasn¡¯t sure how she would react, especially if he had lost all of his memories. ¡°What I can tell you is that the natives are slow on the uptake. Since this is an abandoned campus that¡¯s locked down, they don¡¯t realize that there is an incursion here until the Demons on the first floor get out. They can handle the second floor on their own, but on the third floor, things start getting out of hand.¡± ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t know what would happen?¡± Penelope twirled her red ponytail around her finger. ¡°I know what happens when the looper does nothing.¡± Jeru huffed. ¡°That¡¯s been one of the few constants.¡± ¡°Good to know¡­¡± She watched the screen change back to where she needed to pick her element. ¡°Can you tell me which element works the best?¡± ¡°Only one person made it to the tenth floor, and he was a brawler.¡± The Elf somehow clicked his tongue. ¡°That¡¯s not going to help you.¡± ¡°What about the deepest a mage got?¡± ¡°Some people are better at some elements than others.¡± Irritation crept into his voice. ¡°Just pick the one that you like the best and experiment. You¡¯re going to do this a lot.¡± ¡°Demons are dark, right?¡± Penelope bit her lip. ¡°There are Demons of every element in there except light.¡± Jeru offered. Still, Demons are always weak against light. It¡¯s obvious, so that''s probably the most common choice, but it also feels like what I should try until I learn more. Penelope tried to push the word ¡®Light¡¯, but her hand went through the screen. His voice groaned as he spoke. ¡°You can¡¯t touch the screen, girlie. Focus on what you want it to do. This Mantle is connected to you. You can think about it and tell it what to do.¡± ¡°I already thought about the element I want, but it didn¡¯t do anything.¡± She grumbled at the screen. ¡°A button you can push would be so much easier!¡± ¡°Hey, you copy a system, summon six hundred people with potential whose disappearance wouldn¡¯t affect the timeline, and delay a Demonic incursion while you¡¯re dying, and we¡¯ll see how good yours looks!¡± It wasn¡¯t the irritation in his voice that made her flinch. It was being told that her being summoned here hadn¡¯t changed anything back home in a significant way. Her boss would just assume she found somewhere else to work and give her job to someone else. People dropped out of class all the time, and since she was paying for them on her own, there was a low chance that anyone from the college would do anything other than leave a few voice messages on her phone. Her bills were on autopay, so no one would come looking at the empty house until her money ran out, which was going to take a few years. She didn¡¯t have any family, and what few people she would call friends hadn¡¯t reached out to her in years. Not that she would complain; she liked the peace and quiet to go about her routine. She was just realizing how isolated she had been. Her gaze hardened as she focused on the word ¡®Light¡¯. The screen clicked as all the other words vanished. This was a chance for her to do something where she mattered, and she wasn¡¯t going to waste it. Chapter 5 - The First Floor The screen changed.
Head
Neck
Off Hand Chest T-shirt Main Hand
Hands Belt Hands
L Finger Legs Jeans R Finger
Feet Sneakers
¡°That¡¯s not the one you want to be on.¡± Jeru sighed, and the screen shifted.
Spells Light Pulse (Mana Cost: 3): Fires a fist-sized projectile of Light Magic. Weak Tier 0 damage.
Passives Light Affinity: Increase your Light based damage by 40%.
Inventory Human wallet filled with plastic cards
¡°There we go! Light Pulse and the Light Affinity passive.¡± His voice took on a singsong tone. ¡°Now we just need to get you into the Dungeon, and you can start using your magic.¡± There was something about the way he spoke that hinted at jealousy. Penelope closed the menu with a thought and looked across the empty parking lot. ¡°Do I need to go now?" ¡°There¡¯s four days on the timer. The longer you stay out here, the less loot there is for you to pick up in there.¡± ¡°There¡¯s loot?¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°Of course there¡¯s loot! Every one of the captains is wearing something worth picking up. The good news is that they don¡¯t respawn like your typical Dungeon, bad news is that no respawns means limited loot and experience.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Penelope shook her hands. ¡°How hard can this be?¡± For once Jeru was silent, which was more telling than anything he could have said. Penelope walked out of the bushes and hurried across the open space. She stayed close to the right side of the wall as she walked down the alley, the noise of the arguing crowd getting louder the closer she got. She slipped over to the left side of the alley and stopped at the end of the building. The shouts were inaudible, but there was a big guy in a butcher¡¯s smock shoving a woman that was half his size, except she wasn¡¯t budging. Penelope couldn¡¯t hear what they were yelling about, but a large part of the crowd was watching the pair. The distraction was what she needed to slip over to the large door. She stole a glance up at the countdown as she passed under it. 3:22:54:25 A chill shot through her body as the magic of the door let her through. Electricity played on her skin as the cold washed over her. Penelope blinked as soon as she was on the other side. The sounds of grunting, screaming, and dull thuds hit her ears before she could take in the sight. The air was damp and had the smell of a dirty basement. Once she adjusted to the noise, she was able to look around. Barriers split the underground like a checkerboard, which helped to provide some light in an otherwise dark place. The floor itself resembled a basement, complete with stone floors and walls. Ten-foot-high ceilings looked down at the groups of giant ant monsters that were trapped in each square, to her left and right. A nameplate floated above the monsters on her left, like a gamertag. Demonic Ant ¡°528-foot-long walls for each square. Each floor has ten squares in each direction.¡± Jeru¡¯s voice burst with pride. ¡°Since you¡¯re about to ask. And here¡¯s a handy little map!¡± An image appeared in front of her.
WEST
S O U T H 1A 2A 3A 4A 5A 6A 7A 8A 9A 10A N O R T H
1BStolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. 2B 3B 4B 5B 6B 7B 8B 9B 10B
1C 2C 3C 4C 5C 6C 7C 8C 9C 10C
1D 2D 3D 4D 5D 6D 7D 8D 9D 10D
Safe Zone 2E 3E 4E 5E 6E 7E 8E 9E BOSS
2F 3F 4F 5F 6F 7F 8F 9F 10F
1G 2G 3G 4G 5G 6G 7G 8G 9G 10G
1H 2H 3H 4H 5H 6H 7H 8H 9H 10H
1I 2I 3I 4I 5I 6I 7I 8I 9I 10I
1J 2J 3J 4J 5J 6J 7J 8J 9J 10J
EAST
¡°I even put cardinal directions on it for you!¡± The Elf sounded pleased with himself for adding that feature. ¡°Thanks¡­¡± The sound of fighting pulled her attention and drowned the rest of her response. The entrance took up two squares and was flanked on each side by squares. A group of four and a group of three fighting against Demonic Beetles in the two squares in front of the shielded area around the entrance. Each Demonic Beetle was bigger than a wolf and had different patterns of red and black on their chitin. Their horn was forked like a mutated horned beetle on steroids. Commanding each group of Demonic Beetles was a Demon that looked like they were made completely out of shadows. The one on the left was healing the Demonic Beetles that were fighting for it, while the one on the right was shooting arrows at the people in the square. ¡°They¡¯re going to die.¡± Jeru sounded remorseful at the declaration. ¡°Six hundred humans, and only seven come down here in the first hour.¡± ¡°Should I help them?" Penelope looked at her right hand. She was regretting not spending more time learning how to use the spell that she¡¯d learned. ¡°Not unless you want to reset.¡± The Elf returned to his snarky self. ¡°You need to go west.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Penelope winced as a group of man-sized Demonic Bats with three-foot wingspans dropped off of the ceiling to swarm the group on the left. The group on the right watched in horror as the other group died, only to add their own screams as the monsters didn¡¯t stop just because they were distracted. In less than a minute, Penelope was the only human on the floor. ¡°They died¡­¡± ¡°Yep, don¡¯t worry; it happens all the time. Once you reset, they¡¯ll be ready to die all over again, just like everybody else. Death is just as common as life in a time loop.¡± After a moment of silence to let her process the mortal danger the monsters posed to those who weren¡¯t ready, the blue Elf answered her earlier question. ¡°Because you don¡¯t want to fight level twos by yourself.¡± Jeru clicked his tongue somehow despite not being visible. ¡°The ants and worms are easier to fight, plus there¡¯s an item up there that you¡¯ll want.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± Penelope crossed her arms in front of her. ¡°I thought you said that it was impossible to tell where things were going to be.¡± ¡°I know where all the pieces are going to start.¡± Jeru corrected her. ¡°I don¡¯t know where they are going to move once everything starts progressing.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying you know that all of those shadow things are wearing at least one good piece of loot because¡ª¡± ¡°Because I¡¯ve been with someone who has killed each of them.¡± The Elf sighed after he interrupted her. ¡°And this isn¡¯t like those games that you have in your world. If you poke a hole in the armor, it¡¯s broken, so try not to be too violent.¡± ¡°Ri-i-ight.¡± Penelope looked at the group of four Demonic Ants that were attacking the barrier to the west. They were the same size as the Demonic Beetles and had the same red and black patterns. ¡°One more thing. How do I use this spell?¡± ¡°Just point and say the name.¡± Jeru sounded smug. ¡°With the Mantles, you don¡¯t have to worry about learning the fundamentals of magic, you just have to point and speak. The Mantle takes care of everything else for you.¡± ¡°Point and¡­¡± Penelope pointed at the monsters on the other side of the barrier. ¡°Light Pulse!¡± A single pulse of light shot out of her finger and washed against the barrier. ¡°What are you doing!?¡± Jeru screamed in her ear, though it was probably just in her mind, but her head still throbbed. ¡°Are you trying to turn them loose on the town!?¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± Penelope stuck her hands in her pockets and walked over to the barrier that she¡¯d just shot. There wasn¡¯t any indication that anything had been damaged on her side, which both relieved and worried her. ¡°Are you sure I can do this?¡± She reached out her hand to touch the barrier. Her hand went through it with no resistance. The shadow demon screeched something, and the Demonic Ants scurried over to where she was. Penelope pulled her hand back and stared at the Shadow. The metal armor covering it gave it the look of a knight. The long metal sword added to the lethal glare its glowing red eyes held. ¡°It¡¯s like reading your favorite book. Every time is easier, and you learn a little more.¡± The incorporeal Elf tried to cheer her on. ¡°Just don¡¯t let them get close to you.¡± Penelope tried to scowl at him, though that was difficult when he was just a voice in her head. She wasn¡¯t going to walk through the barrier where she was, not with four Demonic Ants on the other side. They moved with her as she tried to go to her right, then to her left. Since outmaneuvering them wasn¡¯t going to work, she took off in a sprint and was able to outpace the monsters. Before she reached the end of the wall, she moved through the barrier and pointed her right index finger at the monsters that were running at her. ¡°Light Pulse, Light Pulse, Light Pulse!¡± Her first two missed, but the last one hit the Demonic Ant in front in the face. It stumbled back, but the other three didn¡¯t stop running at her. Penelope hopped to her right to get back into the safe zone, but she bounced off the barrier and fell on her rear. ¡°Seriously!?¡± She tried to get to her feet, but the Demonic Ants were on her before she got up. Chapter 6 - Take Two Blinding light. ¡°Jeru!¡± Penelope yelled the moment she could speak. The buzzing of voices and whispers pressed on the thin woman as most of the eyes around her looked to see what she was yelling about. Each pair of eyes felt like a drill on her skin. Her anger at dying again gave way to discomfort at being the center of attention. To everyone except the large man to her left, who still backed into her. ¡°Hey!¡± The large man with a tattoo of a dragon climbing up his arm growled at her. ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going!¡± His voice was like a gun going off. Her feet pushed as fast as she could get through the crowd towards the smoking building. She forced her way through the crowd as her heart beat faster and the sound of six hundred voices threatened to drown her. Despite all of this, her mind was running through ideas on how she could do better. Penelope didn¡¯t wait for Jeru to start giving his speech. The timer above the door hadn¡¯t started counting down as she pushed her way into the door at the same time Jeru appeared above her. On the other side of the portal, Penelope stopped and braced her hands on her knees as she caught her breath. She wasn¡¯t out of shape, but the rush through the crowd had taken that much out of her. ¡°Jeru! Show yourself!¡± ¡°Jeru, do this. Jeru, do that.¡± Jeru complained as he appeared in front of her. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re not Nate. Who are you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try that; you already told me that you remember all of the loopers!¡± Penelope''s breathing sped up. She clenched her jaw and balled her fist, bursting the peanuts that she¡¯d forgotten she¡¯d been holding. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me that I couldn¡¯t walk back through the barrier!?¡± She unscrewed the lid of the soda and drained the caffeinated liquid from the bottle while she waited for his reply. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be a barrier if things could just move back and forth across it.¡± The blue Elf raised an eyebrow as he watched her drink. ¡°Then it would just be a pretty wall of light.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡± Penelope gaped at him. ¡°You also told me that I would just have to point and speak to use spells. How come I only hit one out of three shots!?¡± ¡°What, you wanted auto-targeting too?¡± Jeru clicked his tongue. ¡°Next you¡¯ll ask for auto-casting or even nukes!¡± He shook his head. ¡°I miss Frank; he was a special kind of guy.¡± ¡°Fine!¡± Penelope turned around and touched the portal over the entrance, only to be met with the same amount of resistance as she had when she tried to get out of the square. ¡°Jeru, why can¡¯t I leave?¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be a good seal if people could just walk out of here.¡± The blue Elf floated into the air. ¡°So you¡¯re telling me that I¡¯m trapped in here?¡± The barrier walls were over 500 feet away, yet Penelope felt them moving closer. Her heart sped up even faster as the stationary walls of magical energy threatened to crush her. ¡°Trapped is a bad word.¡± Jeru laid down on his side as he floated. ¡°The barrier drops as soon as you defeat the demon that¡¯s commanding this army.¡± He rolled over and waved his arm at the floor. ¡°So you should make sure to clear the floor before you kill the boss.¡± Penelope wasn¡¯t worried about killing the boss. Her biggest concern at the moment was that she was trapped. She crouched down on the ground with her back against the barrier and put her hands over her ears as she hid her face in her knees. ¡°Just breathe.¡± Jeru¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t muted by her hands over her ears. ¡°In through the nose, out through the mouth.¡± Penelope turned her head to scowl at him. ¡°You¡¯re not helping.¡± ¡°It does.¡± He turned back right side up and touched down on the floor. ¡°You¡¯ve got about two minutes left on your panic attack before Oakley, Frederica, and Judah walk through that door.¡± He must mean the group on the right that had just three people. Maybe I could warn¡­ Her panic escalated again at the thought of talking to strangers. The wall was no longer a barrier that could protect her back but a one-way door capable of disgorging strangers. She swallowed and took a nervous step to her left.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°Aren¡¯t you forgetting something?¡± Jeru forced the menu to open in front of her. ¡°You haven¡¯t chosen an affinity, so you don¡¯t have any spells.¡± He hummed as he thought. ¡°I mean, you could try casting the old-fashioned way, but raw magic isn¡¯t going to do much at your level.¡± Penelope looked at the menu and selected Light from the screen with a thought, then closed it with a wave of her hand, the motion helping her hold the intent needed to complete the action. The monsters hadn¡¯t reached the barrier yet, which meant once she walked through the wall of light, she¡¯d have some space to fight them. Except she didn¡¯t want to walk in. The thought of dying again terrified her even if she was resetting. Despite Jeru¡¯s reassurance, it wasn¡¯t something she was willing to trust, which meant she was going to experiment. While she stood in front of the barrier, the sound of footsteps behind her alerted her that the first group had entered the Dungeon. She turned around and saw three people walk into the Dungeon. Their names floated above their heads, just like on the monsters, letting her know the names of these people for the first time. In the lead was Oakley Dewey, a twenty-seven-year-old towering figure, who walked forward without a shred of hesitation. Every step was like he was doing something he¡¯d done a thousand times before. His skin rippled gray under his rumpled clothes as if it was made of stone. Behind him was Frederica Riddle, a forty-seven-year-old woman with skin paler than Penelope¡¯s. Her polo shirt and tennis skirt offered no protection against the Demons fangs. Her feet were bare, yet she wasn¡¯t making any noise as she moved. Her very person gave off a murderous aura as her eyes scanned the Dungeon. Penelope made it through half a wave towards the other woman, but the gesture was ignored as she was given a dismissive glance. The measured look told her that she was seen neither as a threat nor a potential ally. Last was Judah Argento, a twenty-nine-year-old slender man. He followed after the pair with a ball of fire rolling around in his right hand. He was the most unsuited for combat, wearing only sweatpants and an oversized attitude t-shirt with the Superman symbol on it. None of them paid much attention to her, nor did they hesitate to march to the square on the right and step through. ¡°So much wasted potential.¡± Jeru clicked his tongue. ¡°Well girlie, what''re you waiting for?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t rush me.¡± Penelope¡¯s chest heaved as she let out the breath that she¡¯d held the entire time the other group had been in the entrance room with her. She turned back to the approaching group of monsters. Penelope stuck her hand through the barrier and then pulled it back out. There was no resistance as her hand came back into the entrance room. She turned her hand over to look at it, then looked at the Demonic Ants. ¡°Let¡¯s try this.¡± She stuck her hand through the barrier and pointed at the closest monster. ¡°Light Pulse!¡± The magic went wide, a few inches to the side of the wolf-sized monster. ¡°UH!!!¡± She aimed again. ¡°Light Pulse! Light Pulse!¡± She scored a hit, making the monster flinch. ¡°Light Pulse!¡± Another hit. ¡°Light Pulse!¡± Miss. ¡°Light Pulse!¡± A hit but not on the monster she was aiming at. The Demonic Ant that she¡¯d hit the most fell behind the other three, and they were almost on her. Except Penelope already knew that she was faster than they were. She ran to the outside wall and stuck her left arm into the zone. She wasn¡¯t as confident in her aiming, so she leaned her head inside too. ¡°Light Pulse!¡± Hit. ¡°Light Pulse!¡± Miss. ¡°Light Pulse!¡± Miss. ¡°Light Pulse!¡± Hit ¡°You might want to stop for a bit.¡± Jeru tapped on her shoulder. ¡°Light Pulse! Ugh! You made me miss, you stupid..." Her head bobbled involuntarily, and she fell on her rear against the outer wall. ¡°Yeah, probably should have told you about that¡­¡± Jeru grimaced. ¡°Told me¡­?¡± The worst brain freeze Penelope had ever experienced strangled the rest of that question. ¡°You can¡¯t just go firing off magic like it¡¯s candy from a float at a parade.¡± The blue Elf brought up a screen, but her eyes were pinched too shut to read what he wanted to show her. ¡°I can¡¯t read that, Jeru. The thought of opening my eyes is making my stomach do somersaults.¡± Penelope rubbed her temples. ¡°Just read it to me.¡± His voice took on a nasally tone. ¡°Jeru is just a computer voice without feelings; there¡¯s no need to say please or thank you to some computer.¡± ¡°Jeru.¡± Penelope shifted her hands just long enough to open her eyes for a moment. ¡°Please.¡± That was all she could muster before she covered them again with her hands. ¡°It¡¯s not real if you have to ask for it, but I¡¯ll take it.¡± Jeru grumbled, then his voice took a more serious tone. ¡°Basically, you have thirty-six maximum mana, and that spell of yours costs three mana each. You fired them off so fast that you were down to three mana when¡ª¡± ROAR The shadow slammed their longsword against the barrier. The impact was like nails on a chalkboard as it dragged the blade across the surface. ¡°NO!!!¡± Penelope plugged her ears with her thumbs so she could keep her hands over her eyes. ¡°Wait your turn, hellspawn!¡± Jeru sighed. ¡°Stupid things can¡¯t even hear me. Anyway, you were about to fire off your twelfth one, which would have put you at zero mana.¡± He clicked his tongue but stopped before making the noise more than once because she winced. ¡°Going into mana depletion is a lot worse than this and something only a few mages can stay conscious during. What you¡¯re feeling is the warning system. You should start feeling better¡­ now.¡± A flood of relief washed over her as her body warmed like she was on the beach. The headache evaporated and her stomach settled down. ¡°Feeling better?¡± Jeru smiled in front of her as she opened her eyes. ¡°Give yourself about twenty minutes, and you¡¯ll be able to keep going.¡± ROAR! SCRITCH! Penelope winced as the sword screeched against the barrier again. She looked up at the metal-clad Demon. ¡°It¡¯s going to feel so good when I kill you.¡± Chapter 7 - Level 2 The other group was fighting before her mana regenerated. Eleven shots, I¡¯ve got this. Penelope took off down the length of the barrier, with the Demonic Ants running after her. She stopped just before she reached the other barrier and turned around, leaning into the square while pointing at the monsters. ¡°Light Pulse!¡± Hit. ¡°Light Pulse!¡± Hit. ¡°Light Pulse! Light Pulse! Light Pulse!¡± All three missed. Penelope took a deep breath and focused. ¡°Light Pulse!¡± One of the Demonic Ants crashed headfirst to the ground. DING! Experience +30 Penelope pulled out of the square. ¡°What was that?¡± Jeru appeared in front of her with a raised eyebrow. ¡°I know you¡¯ve played MMORPGs.¡± ¡°How do you know¡­¡± She glared at him. ¡°So you know lots of stuff about everyone¡¯s past?¡± The blue Elf shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve been in this loop for almost seventeen hundred years¡­¡± He sighed. ¡°You pick up a few things when you listen.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been doing this for¡­¡± Penelope blinked. ¡°That means each looper has spent over forty-one years each in here.¡± ¡°Most tapped out after a year.¡± Jeru sighed as he shook his head. ¡°Thirty loopers gave up before they reached eighteen years.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Penelope swallowed. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say.¡± ¡°Talk less, kill more.¡± Jeru motioned at the Demons. ¡°Right¡­¡± She flipped her red ponytail out of the way as she looked at the Demonic Beetles and Bats clawing at the barrier behind her. The two groups had died again, and now the Demons were all focused on the only person on the floor. She took off down the length of the barrier. Her aim was worse when she used her left hand, so she laid down with just her shoulders inside the square. ¡°Light Pulse! Light Pulse! Light Pulse!¡± Two out of three connected, dropping another Demonic Ant. DING! Experience +30 ¡°Jeru, how much mana do I have left?" ¡°What am I, your personal assistant?¡± The blue Elf groaned. ¡°Why can¡¯t you read it yourself?¡± ¡°What else are you doing to help?¡± Penelope pushed herself back into the safety barrier. ¡°Because you aren¡¯t a very good mentor.¡± ¡°Tried that. David quit after one year. Jean didn¡¯t last that long. I figured out a while ago that the ones who I didn¡¯t handhold until they cleared the third floor stuck around the longest.¡± Jeru shrugged. ¡°Besides, you usually didn¡¯t even start participating in the fights until the fourth floor.¡± He grimaced. ¡°When you lived that long.¡± ¡°When I¡­¡± Her green eyes narrowed as she glared at him. ¡°Whatever. But be quiet if you¡¯re not going to help.¡± The blue Elf vanished without a word. ¡°Menu, menu¡­¡± Penelope flipped through the menus until she found her status screen that had her mana displayed.
Penelope Flynn
Experience 60/100
Stamina 25/30
Mana 13/36
¡°Enough for four more spells, but it looks like I get about four mana back in the time it takes me to run to the other end.¡± Penelope left the menu open as she waited for the monsters to get to where she was, then she took off towards the other end. When she reached the other side, she had eighteen mana. She kneeled down so she could aim better as she leaned into the square.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Light Pulse!¡± Hit. ¡°Light Pulse!¡± Hit. Another Demonic Ant went down, leaving her with only one more. DING! Experience +30 She steadied her breathing. ¡°Light Pulse!¡± Hit. ¡°Light Pulse!¡± Hit.¡°Light Pulse!¡± Hit. DING! Experience +30 You are now Level Two Stats increased: Speed +1, Magic +1 You have learned: Light Arc The box of notifications popped up before she realized that she¡¯d killed the last one. Penelope pulled out of the square so she could read the notifications. She flicked the menu across the screens.
Penelope Flynn
Level 2 - Caster
Experience 120/200
Stamina 24/32
Mana 5/38
4 Power 3 Defense 9 Speed
11 Magic 6 Recovery 3 Aura
She grinned as the walking, metal-encased shadow stopped. Its helmet was focused on her as it stood as still as a statue. Penelope took a deep breath and changed the menu to where it listed her spells.
Spells Light Pulse (Mana Cost: 3): Fires a fist-sized projectile of Light Magic. Weak Tier 0 damage. Light Arc (Mana Cost: 3): Fires a thin tendril of charged Light Magic. Minor Tier 0 damage.
Passives Light Affinity: Increase Light based damage by 40%.
The cost of the spell didn¡¯t increase, but the damage it did went up. Though without hard numbers for the difference between weak and minor, Penelope wouldn¡¯t know how much stronger the spell was. Penelope closed the menu and walked towards the front of the Dungeon. She had twenty minutes until her mana regenerated, and she wanted something that she could lean against while she waited. The Shadow Demon stalked beside her as she walked, content to be an arm''s length away from her while she stayed on the safe side. Once she reached the other side, she leaned against the wall and closed her eyes while she thought. Eleven shots before I have to rest, with three shots to take down one of the ants. So I can¡¯t just walk into a square, or I¡¯d still have one of the ants and the metal can left. Plus, I don¡¯t know how many shots it would take to kill it. So I¡¯m going to need at least one break, and that¡¯s once I can start hitting 100% of the time. She sighed and opened the menu back up to see what other menus she could look at while she waited. There were a few blank menus that she couldn''t activate, but there was one useful button she found.
Dungeon Floor 1
Time Remaining: 3:21:07:41
Penelope looked over at the Shadow watching her. With ninety-seven squares and her taking almost three hours to finish one of them, there was no way that she would clear the Dungeon on her own in that amount of time. Even if she cleared as much as she could, there were still going to be a lot of monsters that got turned loose. But with ninety-six hours on a fresh timer, that would only be a little under an hour to do each of them. But that¡¯s only if I don¡¯t sleep. Penelope¡¯s stomach grumbled, reminding her that she hadn¡¯t eaten. Going to have to make time to eat too. What do I even eat or drink down here? Her finger twirled the end of her red ponytail while she thought about how she was going to survive without being able to go back outside. It wasn¡¯t long until her mana was full. Despite her stomach grumbling about how empty it was becoming, she got up and ran to the other end of the wall with the Shadow chasing after her. At the other end, she leaned into the square and pointed at it. ¡°Light Arc!¡± A finger-sized shot of white electricity shot off of her finger and zapped the metal-clad Demon. The spell crackled as it washed over the armor, causing the Shadow inside to jerk. Not wanting to waste the easy target of a stunned monster, Penelope continued to blast it. ¡°Light Arc! Light Arc! Light Arc! Light¡­¡± DING! Experience +60 The armor fell in a disorganized pile, the chest piece leaking smoke through a fist-sized hole she¡¯d burned in the center. ¡°Huh.¡± Penelope got up and dusted herself off, then stepped through the barrier into the square and walked over to the pile of metal. She squatted down in front of it and poked at the hot metal with her finger. ¡°Ow!¡± She stuck her finger in her mouth. The chestpiece was too hot to touch, but the other pieces weren¡¯t. Penelope picked up the helmet and raised it over her head to put it on. Her vision vanished as something warm and wet landed on her and wrapped around her head. It felt fuzzy, like a caterpillar on the outside, but slimy like a slug around her head. Her fingers clawed at the fuzzy outer layer while the weight of it toppled her over. The hide was squishy, but still too thick for her to tear off. It wasn¡¯t long until the bright white light claimed her. Chapter 8 - Take Three Penelope didn¡¯t pop open the bag of peanuts. Rather than wait for the large man to back into her, she slid around him, then continued moving through the active crowd while trying not to let the building noise or fights encourage her heart to beat any faster. The older woman from before was in her path this time. Penelope thought about saying something, but the words caught in her throat. Her mouth refused to open, but she slowed long enough to watch as the blonde woman moved through the crowd like water. A middle-aged woman in a red windbreaker backed into her from behind while she was watching the other woman move. ¡°Excuse¡­¡± Penelope didn¡¯t wait for the other woman to finish; she bolted through the last few people and ran through the portal. Once in the safe zone of the Dungeon, she turned left, walked to the southwest corner, and put her precious food items down. Once her food was safe, she selected Light from the menu and then walked over to the middle of the barrier and stuck her right arm through. Her green eyes scanned the ceiling, which was dark, but she could see something inching its way towards her. It was the farthest away and moving towards her the slowest, so it wasn¡¯t what she was going to focus on. She let out a deep breath to try to calm her nerves and then focused on the four Demonic Ants and fired off her spell eleven times. ¡°Light Pulse!¡± DING! Experience +30 Last time, she missed almost the same amount of shots that she made, not counting the last four. This time, she hit seven times and missed four, but she only killed one Demonic Ant. Once she was out of mana, Penelope walked over to her corner and sat down. Her mana had almost recovered when the first group walked in. They didn¡¯t notice her hunched in the far corner and went into their normal square to fight. Penelope sighed as she watched them enter. They were all decent, but it was six on three, and the Demons had the level advantage. There was no way that they could win without outside interference. The second group was also talented, but last time, the deaths of the first group rattled them enough for their Tank, Patrick Heard, to miss a block. Once he died, the other three didn¡¯t last long. There was a little nudge in her mind telling her she needed to do something to help, but she also knew this wasn¡¯t her last loop. She was still learning about the monsters and the Dungeon, and Penelope wanted to learn all she could before she tried to help anyone who would be alive again as soon as she died. Once her mana was recharged, Penelope ran to the other end of the square. She took her time positioning herself and braced her right arm as she aimed. ¡°Light Pulse!¡± DING! Experience +30 DING! Experience +30 DING! Experience +30 You are now Level Two Stats increased: Defense +1, Magic +1 You have learned: Light Arc She had fired seven times and missed twice, which gave her four more spells. Instead of backing out, she changed her target to the Demon and fired all four. DING! Experience +60 Penelope stood up inside the safe zone. The level had given her three more mana, so she had another cast she could use, but she doubted the Ceiling Creeper would die to just one hit. She looked up at the caterpillar monster crawling towards her. She had plenty of time to kill it once her mana recharged. There was one thing that she noticed: she hadn¡¯t gotten the same stat increases when she leveled up this time.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°Jer¨C-¡± ¡°Excuse me.¡± Penelope turned around to see the second group standing in front of her. Her palms began to sweat as she swallowed the lump in her throat. ¡°Y-yes?¡± Penelope focused on the warm smile the older woman gave her. ¡°We watched you take down that whole group on your own and were wondering if you¡¯d want to party up.¡± Ula Ramirez smiled wider. The fifty-five-year-old grandmother was going gray, but her tanned skin spoke of how much she enjoyed being outside. Her brown eyes were inviting, even if Penelope couldn¡¯t look directly at them for more than a moment. Her arms were thick, as were her waist and legs, which left no doubt why the older woman had received the Power starting class. ¡°Um¡­¡± Penelope was trapped in the northwest corner of the safe zone. There were people to her south and east, the Ceiling Crawler was in the square to the west, and the party that was going to die in a few minutes was behind her to the north. She bit her lip as it felt like spiders were crawling all under her skin. ¡°It¡¯s okay if you¡¯d rather go solo.¡± Ula laughed. ¡°I just thought we¡¯d ask.¡± She jerked her thumb at the pile of smoking gear. ¡°Do you mind if we borrow that gear since you¡¯re a Caster? We don¡¯t have any gear, and Patrick would be able to tank a lot better in some actual armor.¡± The forty-five-year-old former professional gamer stepped into the square and picked up the helmet. He started to slip it on over his graying brown hair, unaware of what was about to happen. ¡°NO!¡± Penelope stepped into the square and pointed at the monster. She only had enough mana for two casts, but that would at least let the other two Casters do something. ¡°Light Arc! Light Arc!¡± DING! Experience +24 You are now Level Three Stats increased: Recovery +1, Magic +1 You have learned: Light Ball The slimy monster fell on top of the unsuspecting man, startling him, knocking the helmet out of his hands, and him to the floor. The barrier between the safe zone and the square vanished. ¡°AHHH!!!¡± Patrick thrashed as he squirmed to get out from under the monster. Penelope was breathing hard for the first time this run as she rested her palms on her knees. She looked at her stats.
Penelope Flynn
Level 3 - Caster
Experience 204/300
Stamina 31/32
Mana 7/44
4 Power 4 Defense 8 Speed
12 Magic 7 Recovery 3 Aura
¡°How did you¡­?¡± Ula looked from the monster to Patrick to the ceiling, then at last to Penelope. ¡°You can take it all.¡± Penelope winced as the screams started behind her. She tried to hurry past them now that she had more space to move. ¡°Not everything.¡± Jeru appeared in front of her. ¡°There¡¯s a pouch on the monster¡¯s waist with stuff in it you need.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Penelope suppressed a shiver as she knelt down next to the pile of armor and rooted through it until she found a strap that held three glass vials as long as her index finger that somehow hadn¡¯t been crushed. ¡°I need this.¡± She didn¡¯t bother showing them what she was taking; she just shoved it into her jeans pocket and started to hurry away but paused and pointed east without looking at them. ¡°Monsters closer to the wall are weaker.¡± ¡°Thanks!¡± Ula¡¯s sweet voice followed her as Penelope fled back to where she had left her peanuts and soda. ¡°I¡¯m not happy with you.¡± Penelope opened her soda and took a swig as soon as she reached her stash. ¡°I help you get free potions, and you¡¯re not happy with me?¡± Jeru tried to look innocent. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me about the worm¡ª¡± ¡°Ceiling Creeper.¡± The blue Elf wagged his finger. Penelope huffed. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me about the Ceiling Creeper, and I died again! How many times are you going to let me die when something simple would have let me avoid it?!¡± ¡°If you plan on clearing this place?¡± Jeru shrugged. ¡°A few hundred.¡± ¡°UGH!!!¡± Penelope clenched her fist. ¡°Do you have any idea what that¡¯s like?! Do you have any idea what that¡¯s going to do to me mentally to¡ª?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He silenced her with a single pain-filled word. Penelope folded her arms in front of her as she waited for him to explain. ¡°You¡¯ve died three times. That¡¯s three runs. This is my 7,544th run. I¡¯ve seen what the loop can do to people dying over and over again. In the end it¡¯s been too much for them, so yes, I get it.¡± He shook his head. ¡°But do I feel bad about it? No. If this problem isn¡¯t solved here, then in seven years, the Demons coming through this incursion are going to spread throughout the entire universe. You think you dying a few thousand times or me spending one and a half millennia trapped with people who keep failing after I¡¯ve invested time and effort is too steep?¡± He shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not. Because these Demons don¡¯t kill thousands or millions or even billions. Trillions die at their hands.¡± He jabbed his finger at her. ¡°So if this is too much for you, then you can tap out and let someone else try, because you are going to die a lot in the deeper floors to things that even I don¡¯t know about.¡± Jeru vanished before she could respond. It wouldn¡¯t matter if Penelope couldn¡¯t see him; they were tied together, and Jeru heard everything she did regardless of if he was visible to her or not. With a sigh, she sank down and watched the other group head east this time. Patrick had on most of the armor, and Ula was carrying the longsword. While she let the Elf¡¯s words sink in, she wondered if she had just accidentally saved their lives. Chapter 9 - Caster Duel Penelope went west to 1C. She had wanted to ask Jeru why this time she had received a point in Defense instead of Speed, but the old Elf didn¡¯t seem to want to talk to her at the moment. She stashed her half-drunk soda and what was left of her peanuts in the corner like before and ran to the other corner of the room. ¡°Light Ball!¡± Instead of a ball of light shooting out of her hand, the magic swirled in her palm, forming a ball of light the size of a baseball that inched away from her. ¡°Huh, I guess I have to¡ª¡± A blast of air knocked her arm back. The ball of light fell to the floor as tiny cuts crisscrossed her right arm where the arm had sliced into it. ¡°AH!!!¡± Penelope moved back into the safe zone as another blast of wind shot at her. The Demon commander in this square had a flowing purple robe. Glowing orange eyes peeked out from under the hood that hid the rest of the Demon¡¯s face. It had a spiked staff pointed at where she had been as it watched her from a safe distance away. Another difference with this square was that there were three Demonic Ants and two Ceiling Creepers. While she stared at the other Caster, the ants reached where she was and were biting at the barrier. Penelope wiped her cut arm on her green shirt. The wounds weren¡¯t very deep, but it was like she had a dozen paper cuts on her arm, which wasn¡¯t the most ideal way for her to cast spells. She stared at the monster for longer than it took her mana to recharge. Fighting a Caster felt like a bigger challenge, but if she could get her hands on that staff, she had a feeling that it would make her a lot stronger. The first thing that she needed to do was get rid of the simpler monsters. The Demonic Ants were the biggest problem: she was confident in her ability to kill the two demons on the ceiling while dodging the air blasts from the Caster. Should I drop a Light Ball through the barrier? No, that doesn¡¯t work. I already saw that my magic can¡¯t go through the barrier. She did have a method of killing them that had worked; she just had to be fast, which meant she couldn¡¯t use her newest spell. Penelope ran back to the southern wall and stuck her hand through the barrier. ¡°Light Arc! Light Arc! Li¨C-¡± Another air blast hit her left arm, but she¡¯d been pulling her arm inside, so only her hand got cut. But even just three paper cuts on her hand were enough to distract her. Her second spell had missed as well since she had been keeping an eye on the other Caster. Penelope gritted her teeth and ran back to the other end and stuck her right arm into the square. ¡°Light Arc!¡± DING! Experience +18 ¡°Light Arc!¡± That one went wide because she was pulling back through the barrier, so she didn¡¯t get hit. The Shadow Caster growled as the blasts of air exploded against the barrier. ¡°One at a time, it is. Though it looks like they die to two hits now.¡± Penelope ran to the south end of the barrier and stuck her left arm through. ¡°Light Arc!¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Penelope grinned as the Demon¡¯s spell hit the barrier that she was behind. ROAR! The lesser Demons froze as their commander yelled something at them. The wounded Demonic Ant kept coming towards Penelope, while the other one turned around and moved back towards the northern corner. The two Ceiling Creepers spread out in the middle of the barrier, putting all four of the smaller Demons along the barrier, which would make it difficult for Penelope to use the tactic that she¡¯d been relying on. The Shadow Caster let out a hollow laugh as it kept its staff pointed at her. A red smile spread under the hood. ¡°Really?¡± Penelope clenched her fist as she glared at the Demon. ¡°Fine!¡± She ran to the northern side. The Demonic Ant chased her for a quarter of the distance, then stopped. It snapped its pincers in frustration as it watched her go farther than its commander had told it that it could move. Penelope looked up at the ceiling. The monsters up there were too slow to close the gap; she just had to hurry to keep from getting pulled into the square. She skidded to a stop and turned around, throwing her right arm through the barrier as she faced the wounded monster. ¡°Light Arc!¡± DING! Experience +18 Penelope pulled her arm back inside the barrier. ¡°YES!¡± She pumped her fist in the air as blasts of wind crashed into the barrier. ROAR! ¡°Wait your turn.¡± Penelope stuck her tongue out, then ran back south. When she reached the dead ant, she stopped, stuck her hand inside the barrier, and aimed at the closest Ceiling Crawler. ¡°Light Arc!¡± She missed, but one shot was all that she dared. Again she had her arm back inside the safe zone before the slicing wind hit the barrier. ROAR! The Shadow Caster¡¯s mouth split open wide enough that it could have fit around Penelope¡¯s head. It stomped up to her and rested the tip of the staff against the barrier. ¡°TRY!¡± The dare didn¡¯t need any other context. The Shadow Demon was going to make sure that she couldn¡¯t just stick her hand through the barrier again to kill the Demons without them being able to fight back. Penelope took a step back and folded her hands across her chest. ¡°You just had to make this complicated.¡± The orange eyes in the hood narrowed. ¡°TRY!¡± She turned around to look at the other group. Two barriers were down, and they were fighting in the next one. Despite her head start, the group of four was working their way through the squares faster than Penelope. She sighed and turned back to the Demon in front of her. The one advantage that she had was that she was faster than the Demons, so she was going to have to take advantage of that. Penelope took off towards the last Demonic Ant. The Shadow Demon was right behind her, but she was gaining just enough that she¡¯d be able to use a single spell, though she wasn¡¯t going to have long to aim it. There was one thing that she was curious about. The barrier blocked spells, but it only required her to have her hand on the other side to use the spell in the square. If she started the spell on this side and stuck her hand through, would the spell fizzle? Just before she reached the Demonic Ant, she started her spell. ¡°Light¡­¡± Penelope jabbed her left hand through the barrier over the monster, palm down. ¡°...Ball!¡± The ball of light formed in her palm and fell onto the Demonic Ant. Penelope jerked her hand back into the safe zone as the Shadow Demon blasted air over the top of the bug. The spell hit the monster¡¯s outer shell and sizzled as it knocked the Demon down. Despite the victory, Penelope didn¡¯t stop running. Now that the Shadow Caster had to move around the smaller Demon, she could make it to the end of the safe zone and turn around. ¡°Light¡­¡± She stuck her hand through the barrier and pointed at the Demon that was struggling to get up. ¡°...Arc!¡± Penelope pulled her hand back inside the barrier. DING! Experience +18 There wasn¡¯t an attack from the Shadow Caster, who had stopped on the other side of the dead Demon to glare at her. ROAR! The spiked staff came down on the monster¡¯s corpse as the Shadow Demon took its frustration out on the dead minion. Penelope looked at her stats to check her mana. She had thirty-nine, which gave her twelve shots, thirteen if she waited long enough for her mana to recharge a single point. She would need four for the monsters on the ceiling, and judging by the last Shadow Demon, she¡¯d need four for this one too. That meant she could miss five times. She took a deep breath, then ran into the square. Chapter 10 - Gearing Up The Shadow Caster stopped midswing. ¡°Light Arc! Light Arc! Li-¡± The first one connected, but the second one went wide because she wasn¡¯t aiming. The third one got interrupted because she had to dive out of the way to avoid the air spell. Penelope came up in a crouch and stole a glance at the ceiling to keep up with where those two monsters were. She didn¡¯t want a repeat of dying to them again. ROAR!!! The tip of the staff moved to track her. ¡°Light Ball!¡± The spell formed in Penelope¡¯s right hand. She threw the ball at the Shadow Caster as she stood up and started running. The Demon moved out of the way to avoid getting hit, which meant it missed her as the wind went to Penelope¡¯s right while she moved left. She looped around and started running the other way while the Shadow Caster oriented. There wasn¡¯t a lot of room on the north side of the square before she¡¯d be in the next room. Two Demonic Beetles and three Demonic Bats were attacking the barrier on that side. The hooded Demon leading them had a wicked dagger in its right hand and a claw in its left. It stalked behind the minions, ready to cut her apart if she crossed into its square. Given that the Shadow Caster was using wind, there was a good chance that she could get blown through the barrier if she took a direct hit, which was why she wanted to be closer to the center of the room. Each square was a little over five hundred feet wide, which gave Penelope plenty of space to move once she was away from the border. Two more blasts of wind followed her; the first went over her shoulder, but the second clipped her on the hip and almost knocked her over. Penelope¡¯s fingers touched the stone floor as she tried to regain her balance. Her eyes widened as she realized that she¡¯d been still for too long and the staff was pointed at her. She rolled forward and came up in a crouch as wind blew through the spot where her belly had been. ¡°Light Arc!¡± She pointed with her right hand and caught a blast of wind to the chest. The air cut slices in her shirt and knocked her on her back. Penelope ignored the burning in her chest and how her green shirt now had finger-length holes in it as she rolled over. The exchange had also damaged the Shadow Caster, though the only visible effect was that it was angrier. ROAR!!! Two more blasts of wind forced her to move as the Shadow Caster started firing spells back-to-back. Penelope was able to dodge because of the distance between them. As long as she was moving and the staff was pointed at her, she wasn¡¯t in the same place that the blasts hit. ROAR!!! The Shadow Caster changed from pointing the staff at her and moved it in front of her. Penelope skidded to a stop and twisted to run the other way. Three blasts of air cut through the direction she had been running. The Demon stomped toward her, but it was slower than she was. Penelope had been counting how many spells the Shadow Caster had used and was at eleven, counting the one right before she had entered the square. She didn¡¯t know what its stats were, but it was reasonable to guess that it had close to the same stats that she did. Penelope rubbed her chest. She didn''t want to take another one of those hits. She¡¯d been fortunate that it hadn¡¯t knocked the wind out of her, because if it had, then she¡¯d be starting over. There was a part of her that had expected Jeru to start taunting her about it, but the blue Elf was still quiet. The tip of the Shadow Caster¡¯s staff was pointed at the floor, but if she stopped moving, the Demon would lift up the staff, daring her to try to cast. Penelope bit her split lip; she couldn¡¯t keep this up forever, but she was also confident that she had more mana than the Demon. She just needed to find a way to use that to her advantage. ¡°Light Ball!¡± A sphere of light formed in her right hand. She smiled as the Shadow Caster lifted its staff and fired at her. They were about thirty feet apart, which was still enough space for her to move before she got cut. She threw the ball while moving; her aim wasn¡¯t the greatest, but while the projectile was in the air, she pointed. ¡°Light Arc! Light Arc!¡± The finger-sized projectiles traveled faster than she could throw the baseball-sized magic bombs. As soon as the Demon moved left to avoid the ball, she used the Shadow Caster¡¯s leading scheme with her other spell. She missed with her first two spells, but the last one connected with the monster¡¯s chest. A high-pitched scream sliced through her ears as the monster disintegrated. DING! Experience +48 You are now Level Four Stats increased: Speed +1, Magic +1Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! You have learned: Light Bolt Penelope put her eyes on both Ceiling Creepers to make sure they weren¡¯t going to drop on her head anytime soon, then took a moment to stop and catch her breath. While she waited, she pulled up her stats.
Penelope Flynn
Level 4 - Caster
Experience 306/400
Stamina 5/34
Mana 22/46
4 Power 4 Defense 9 Speed
13 Magic 7 Recovery 3 Aura
That explains why I¡¯m winded. Penelope looked back up at the monsters on the ceiling. ¡°Might as well try it. Light Bolt!¡± A bolt of light zigzagged its way to the monster, leaving a continuous stream of magic between her finger and her target. ¡°Cool, but it still takes more than one to kill it.¡± She tapped her cheek. ¡°I wonder¡­¡± She shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll have to try that out later. Light Bolt!¡± DING! Experience +12 Penelope targeted the last monster and cast her new spell twice. The streak of light zigzagged as it closed the distance between them. DING! Experience +12 The wall between her and the safe zone fell while the monster died. She walked over to her stash and ate the last of her peanuts and drank what remained of her soda on her way to check out the Shadow Caster¡¯s corpse. ¡°Jeru. Will you come out and explain this stuff to me?¡± She sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I complained about dying.¡± The blue Elf appeared in front of her wearing a glare. He pointed at the pile without looking at it. ¡°It has two mana potions and an infernal water. All the gear is common, which won¡¯t provide any extra defense, but you¡¯ll still want to put on the robe; it¡¯ll protect your arms and head at least.¡± He snapped his fingers. ¡°Oh, the necklace is worth wearing too, and you should use the staff for casting.¡± Penelope picked up the spiked staff. The warm metal felt foreign under her fingers, yet right at the same time. She put it down so she could sit down and rifle through the rest of the pile. Under the robe was a pair of black pants and a belt. The potion strap was secured on that. Penelope set the strap to the side and held up the pants. ¡°These are¡­¡± They looked like clown pants. The belt that kept them up was just a strip of cloth that had been tied in a knot. Penelope put both to the side and picked up the silver necklace. The silver curl was more of a decoration than a pendant, but she clasped the chain around her neck. As soon as the pendant hit her chest, she felt a warm sensation flow through her. She lifted the pendant with one hand to look at it. ¡°Jeru, what did this just do?¡± ¡°Pull up your interface and look.¡± He huffed, then vanished. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be rude.¡± Penelope shook her head, then called up the interface.
Penelope Flynn
Level 4 - Caster
Experience 330/400
Stamina 17/34
Mana 29/48
4 Power 4 Defense 9 Speed
13+1 Magic 7 Recovery 3 Aura
Air Damage +5%
¡°So it gives me more Magic and mana.¡± Penelope moved over to the gear tab. The space for neck showed that it was filled. On a whim, she reached over and grabbed the staff. The space for Main Hand was filled while Off-Hand was grayed out. Penelope closed the menu and picked up the robe. Long sleeves would cover her arms, while a hood would hide her head. The Shadow Demon had been taller than her, but the robe had only reached its knees. On the shorter woman, the fabric reached all the way down to her ankles. She grabbed the strip of cloth that the Demon had been using as a belt and tied it around her waist. Most of the front of the robe from the waist down was missing, but that just provided her with the freedom to move around. That left the pants as the only thing that she hadn¡¯t pilfered, which she wasn¡¯t going to put on. She slipped the potions into one of the robe¡¯s pockets, folded up the pants, then looked at her equipment window.
Head
Neck Air Pendant
Off Hand Chest Shadow Robe Main Hand Spiked Staff
Hands Belt Torn Cloth Hands
L Finger Legs Jeans R Finger
Feet Sneakers
¡°Well.¡± Penelope stood up and looked at the next square to the west. ¡°On to the next one.¡± Chapter 11 - The Demons Are Adapting The Demons backed away from the barrier. Penelope stuck the tip of the staff through the thin wall of blue light and aimed at the closest Demonic Ant. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± The streak of light zigzagged towards the monster but fell short by over a hundred feet. The Demons were adapting. ¡°At least I know how far away I can hit something now.¡± Penelope sighed as she pulled the tip of the staff back in. Her mana had been full before she fired the last spell, which gave her enough for fifteen spells. That was enough to clear the square if she didn¡¯t miss, but there was no chance of that happening. She knew she would miss more than once, which meant walking into the square required her to run around while shooting her spells at the monsters. From her little time playing action RPGs, she knew that was referred to as kiting, but it wasn¡¯t an option that she was looking forward to trying in real life. 1B, the next square to the west, had three Demonic Ants and two Ceiling Creepers. The Demon leading them looked similar to the Shadow Caster that Penelope had just fought, but it didn¡¯t have a weapon in its hands. That alone was cause for concern, since it was an unknown factor. Penelope tapped on the staff with her finger as she weighed her options. The thought of having to dodge attacks wasn¡¯t a strategy that she was looking forward to trying, but there weren¡¯t a lot of other options. If she couldn¡¯t hit anything from the safe zone, then she was going to have to enter the square. She looked at the timer on her screen.
Dungeon Floor 1
Time Remaining: 3:22:09:12
Less time had passed on this run, and she was staying under the hour limit that she had given herself in order to clear the floor alone. She looked to the east at the group. They were on the last level one square. Since they were alive, she would only need to clear half as many, which gave her the extra time that she was going to need to sleep. She gripped the staff and stepped into the barrier. A shiver ran through her body, and she shook her shoulders to dispel it. Penelope clenched her jaw and pointed the staff at the closest Demonic Ant as she walked towards them. There were over two hundred fifty feet between them, and her spells couldn¡¯t shoot half that distance. SKREE!!! The high-pitched squeal set this Demon apart from the last ones. Penelope didn¡¯t need to understand demon to know what it was saying. The three Demonic Ants surged forward. They moved in a V as they rushed towards her, pincers snapping as they hurried. The two Ceiling Creepers weren¡¯t moving; instead, they were staying over the Demon Caster. Penelope didn¡¯t have time to wonder why half the army was hanging back, but she wasn¡¯t going to complain. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± All three of the Demons began to glow a faint red. Glowing stuff was always bad in games, and Penelope didn¡¯t want to find out what bad stuff there could be in real life. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± DING! Experience +12 The lead one went down. Neither of her spells had missed, which was a first. She focused on the one on her right and fired two more spells. DING! Experience +12 There was only one left, and it wasn¡¯t moving fast enough to reach her before she could cast the last two streaks of light.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. DING! Experience +12 Penelope looked at her mana. There were still thirty left, which gave her more than enough to deal with the remaining monsters. Since the Ceiling Creepers weren¡¯t much of an issue as long as she could move, she focused her attention on the Shadow Caster. The Demon¡¯s green eyes narrowed into slits as the same red glow that covered the other Demons coated it. A purple glow covered Penelope¡¯s skin. Her stomach lurched and protested whatever the glow was doing to her. ¡°Light Bolt! Light Bolt!¡± Penelope grabbed her stomach and almost let the staff fall out of her hands. She glared at the Demon that was weaving its hands in her direction. The pain in her gut was worse than the time she¡¯d eaten month-old rice from the back of the fridge, but it was nothing she couldn¡¯t push through. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± Sweat beaded on her cheeks and brow as the heat from the itch just under her skin demanded to be scratched. Penelope had to ignore the feeling to focus on stopping the one causing it. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± She hadn¡¯t missed, but the monster was still standing. The other two Shadows had only needed four blasts of a weaker spell to kill them. Either was weaker than her other spells, or that red aura was doing something to make the commanding Demon stronger. Penelope gritted her teeth and raised the end of the staff up. The tip had dropped to the ground while she¡¯d been focusing. She felt like she was hugging it, the way she had to wrap her arms around it to keep it up. She dropped to a knee, the nausea begging her to lie on the floor where it was cool. Her body craved relief from the burning itch just under her skin. Penelope knew that if she gave in, it would mean a restart. That was not something that she wanted to experience. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± DING! Experience +36 You are now Level Five Stats increased: Recovery +1, Magic +1 You have learned: Light Orb The moment the Shadow Caster died, the aura around her vanished, though the sick feeling in her stomach only lost its edge. Penelope took a slow and deep breath, then looked up at the two Demons inching towards her. Her slick palms gripped the staff and pointed it at the closest one. ¡°Light Orb!¡± A globe the size of a basketball composed of light squeezed out of the tip of her staff. The large ball moved much slower than her other spells, but it was much wider. She wouldn¡¯t have been able to hit a faster foe, but it moved faster than the Ceiling Creepers, which was all that mattered. The orb exploded when it hit the lead monster. The wave area damage knocked both Demons off the ceiling. They shrieked as they tried to right themselves, but Penelope wasn¡¯t going to give them the chance. ¡°Light Orb!¡± She aimed in between the two. When the orb hit the ground, it exploded. Bathing the two Demons in light. DING! Experience +6 Experience +6 The wall of light went down behind her, letting her know that the fight was over. It had taken her less than ten minutes, which put her up on time by a lot. Penelope cast a sideways glance at the other team to check their progress. She wanted to get done with her side fast enough that the others didn¡¯t come offer to help, though if this Caster was wearing the same thing as the last one, she had a set of clothes that would help one of their Casters. ¡°Jeru, is there anything here worth taking?¡± ¡°Loot is always worth taking.¡± The blue Elf appeared in front of her. ¡°Even those corpses have value, not that you¡¯ll be able to use them for anything other than a good steak.¡± He licked his lips. ¡°It¡¯s been too long since I¡¯ve had the taste of anything on my actual lips.¡± He touched his lips with his fingers. ¡°I¡¯d let an Ogre cook for me just to taste¡­¡± Penelope snapped her fingers. ¡°Jeru. Is anything here worth taking now, or should I leave it for them?¡± ¡°There are people still alive?¡± Jeru looked east. ¡°Huh.¡± He looked down at the pile and tapped his chin, then he looked at her. ¡°Why are you asking me?¡± ¡°Jeru¡­¡± Her fingers dug into her scalp as she ran them through her hair. ¡°Look. I¡¯m sorry that I snapped at you.¡± She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. ¡°You¡¯ve been around me how many times?¡± The Elf raised an eyebrow as he stared at her. ¡°Fine, you don¡¯t want to tell me. But I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve been around me enough to know that when I see a puzzle, I have to figure it out.¡± Her heart beat faster as she looked as close to his eyes as she dared. ¡°I¡¯m not going to tap out of this, so please answer my questions so I can figure this out faster.¡± He just stared at her as if he was waiting for her to say something else. After a few moments of silence, Jeru¡¯s shoulders sagged. ¡°You have an identity feature in your menu. Go to your status screen, then focus it over the items. It¡¯ll display information about them.¡± Jeru vanished, leaving her alone, though even if he wasn¡¯t where she could see him, he was still with her. Penelope turned to the pile of loot. ¡°Let¡¯s see what we have.¡± Chapter 12 - Clearing Her Half Her screen blossomed with information.
Shadow Robe Provides no additional protection from attacks Weak Healing Potion Heal wounds. Effects greatly diminished after T0
Water Ring Recovery +1 Water Damage +5% Torn Cloth Provides no additional protection from attacks Weak Mana Potion Restores Mana. Effects greatly diminished after T0
Shadow Essence Remains of a Shadow sent back to the Abyss. Crafting Item Shadow Pants Provides no additional protection from attacks Weak Infernal Water Water from the Abyss. Crafting Item
Penelope reached down and picked up the ring and slipped it on her right ring finger. A cool sensation flowed through her as the extra stat point took effect. She knelt down and picked up the potions and put them in her pocket with the others. She folded the robe and pants, then tried to pick up the Shadow Essence. The black, slimy liquid oozed off her hand and fell back to the dirty stone floor. ¡°Jeru, how do I use this?¡± She poked it again with her finger. ¡°Do you ever talk to me when you don¡¯t want something?¡± ¡°I¡¯d talk to you more if you weren¡¯t so grumpy.¡± Penelope looked around to make sure no one was close enough to hear her talking to herself. ¡°You¡¯ll have to put it in something. Drink one of your Mana Potions and put it in that.¡± She took one of the blue potions out of her pocket and unscrewed the top. Penelope stared at the liquid for a moment, then brought the vial up to her lips and touched the tip of her tongue to it. The sensation was like ice water, yet it traveled through her entire body, not just her tongue. She almost dropped the vial but caught herself. The salty liquid had a hint of metallic twang. It wasn¡¯t something that she would have drank for a beverage, but if it restored mana, then she could get right back into the fight. She squeezed her eyes tight as she tipped the vial into her mouth. Despite the salty flavor, it didn¡¯t make her more thirsty, which was a good thing since she only had potions to drink. The chill ran through her body as she shivered a few times. Then the cold vanished like it had never been there. Penelope looked at her mana and saw it was full at fifty-two. Before she could get to the next fight, she had a few things to take care of first. She held the vial that was as thick as her thumb and as long as her finger in one hand while she picked up the slimy black Essence with the other. The Essence filled up over half the vial, so she couldn¡¯t fit more than one in it. She looked back at where she¡¯d killed the other two Shadows and wondered how long the essence would stay before it dissolved. When she walked over to her stash, she remembered the empty soda bottle. Penelope gathered up the other pair of pants and walked over to where she¡¯d killed the first Shadow Caster. The black slime was still there, but drier and not as sticky. She picked it up and put it in the soda bottle. She couldn¡¯t find the essence of the first one. Either it had evaporated, or it was stuck inside the armor that Patrick had put on. Penelope shuddered as she thought about the slimy material touching her as she moved in battle. With all of the housekeeping that she could do tidied up, Penelope made her way over to the last square on the first row to the west. Inside was another Demon Caster, but this one carried a wand instead of a staff. The monsters were a mirror of the first square she¡¯d cleared. Four Demonic Ants and one Ceiling Creeper. They were all bunched around the Caster in the center of the square, which was too far for her spells to reach. For a moment she thought about testing her spell, but as slow as it moved, even the Ceiling Creeper would be able to get out of the way by the time it reached the monsters.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Penelope took a deep breath and walked through the barrier. As soon as she was completely through, the Demons charged her, including the Shadow. Not wanting to get boxed in against the wall, she ran towards them. Just before they were in range, she unleashed her magic. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± Penelope targeted the closest monster. She started walking backwards to stay out of the range of the Shadow Caster, who had started shooting dart-shaped seeds at her. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± She shot the same one again and watched it go down. DING! Experience +6 I¡¯m going to run out of room if I keep backing up. Penelope swept the staff in front of her. ¡°Light Orb! Light Orb!¡± The two slow-moving globes began traveling in front of her. The Demonic Ants were forced to split in order to not run into the balls of death. One moved to her right, the two moved to her left. Penelope began stepping to her right and released the streak of magic twice. DING! Experience +6 The lone monster fell, leaving the pair that had moved to her left to face her as she backed up to the north. ¡°Light Bolt! Li¡ª!¡± Her first spell hit its mark, but the second one never fired because she got hit in the side of the head with a volley of sharp projectiles the size of sunflower seeds. It felt like she¡¯d just been slapped across the face by the bristle side of a metal brush, with some of the seeds sticking in her cheek. I¡¯m in its range! Penelope brushed the barbs off her cheek and wiped the drops of blood off with her free hand as she moved out of range of the next volley. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± She aimed with one hand and pulled the hood more over her face with the other. That earned her two green seeds in the back of her left hand, but it was better that her hand got hit than her face. Despite not being on target, the streak of magic found its way to the Shadow Caster. I guess I don¡¯t have to aim this one perfectly. Penelope smiled as she turned her attention to the two charging ants. She could have her spell duel once the melee monsters were dead. ¡°Light Bolt! Light Orb!¡± DING! Experience +6 The first Demonic Ant died when the orb exploded, but the second plowed into her, knocking her to the ground as it snapped at her neck with its mandibles. ¡°Get off me!¡± Penelope gripped the spiked staff on the ends and forced it between the vice around the monster¡¯s mouth as she strained against the Demon on top of her. Claws that regular ants didn¡¯t possess dug into her sides while she kicked against the ground in a vain attempt to push herself out from under the heavier being. Penelope let go of the staff, trusting in her reflexes as she grabbed the sides of the monster¡¯s face. The spikes near the end of the staff pierced her side as the tip of the staff was buried in her armpit. ¡°AHH!!!¡± She shifted her grip to the underside of the monster¡¯s neck with her left hand. ¡°LIGHT BOLT!!!¡± DING! Experience +6 The Demonic Ant fell on top of her; the weight alone was almost too much for her as she struggled under it. The Shadow Caster peppered the body with seeds as she wiggled out from under the dead monster. Her robe was keeping the seeds from embedding in her skin, but it was getting shot full of holes. The smell of blood, both hers and demon, filled her nostrils. The metallic air filled her lungs every time she drew a breath. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± The streak of light magic hit the Shadow Caster in the chest. If it could hit her, then she could hit it. The problem was that she needed both hands to hold the monster up; otherwise, it felt like she was being crushed. With both hands pushing, there wasn¡¯t a lot of time where she could cast. More seeds peppered the parts of her body that weren''t covered by the corpse. Penelope¡¯s arms wavered as she struggled to slide out from under the heavy corpse. The monster slipped, but it slid enough that Penelope was able to roll out from under it. The moment she no longer needed both hands, she pointed at the other Caster. ¡°Light Bolt! Light Bolt!¡± Both spells hit the monster in the chest. That should have killed it, but the Demon sent another wave of seeds at her. The sound of glass hitting the stone floor echoed through the square. A second clang followed, then the seed barrage resumed in earnest. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± Penelope hunched behind the body as well as she could. That was fifteen. With 52 mana, I¡¯ve only got two more spells. I¡¯ve got to make them count. She peeked out from behind her biological barrier and saw an empty vial on the stone floor beside the Shadow Demon. If it took a healing potion, I might need three or four spells to finish it off. The Demon isn¡¯t the only one with potions! She dug into her pocket and pulled out a red vial and a blue vial. She grimaced at the salty, metallic taste of the Mana Potion, then downed the red one. ¡°BLEH!¡± Penelope stuck out her tongue, failing to suppress a cough. The Healing Potion left a burn down her throat like it had been a spicy, cinnamon flavor. She realized that she would have preferred to take the potions in reverse order. Something to remember next time. The seeds began falling off of her as the healing magic fixed her body. Penelope marveled at the process until she heard a clink on the stone by where her head was hiding. She turned her head and saw her earrings. They were just studs, but when she grabbed her earlobes, she couldn¡¯t feel any holes. She sighed as she picked up the earrings and put them in the robe pocket. Healing Potions work a little too well. With her mana topped off, Penelope rolled away from the corpse and twisted up so she was crouched on her feet. Her staff was under the Demonic Ant, so she had to use her hands, and she had both of them pointed at the monster. ¡°Light Bolt! Light Bolt! Light Bolt!¡± DING! Experience +24 Penelope looked down at her chest. The healing potion had just fixed her, and she was full of the sharp, dart-shaped seeds again. She took a painful breath, yanked her staff out from under the monster, then pointed it at the ceiling. ¡°Light Bolt! Light Bolt!¡± DING! Experience +6 The last monster died, dropping the final wall of the first row. Penelope laid back down against the dead Demonic Ant and began picking the seeds out of her. I need to rest a bit before I try the second column. She pulled up her stat page while she worked.
Penelope Flynn
Level 5 - Caster
Experience 468/500
Stamina 5/34
Mana 39/54
4 Power 4 Defense 9 Speed
14+1 Magic 8+1 Recovery 3 Aura
Chapter 13 - Upgrades Penelope changed out of her robe. The one she was wearing was too full of penhead-sized holes to provide much of the meager protection it promised. The one from the Shadow that she¡¯d just fought had the front burnt open, leaving her with only one good outer layer of protection. Penelope walked over to the pile of loot and began sorting it. The robe, belt, and pants were the same as the last two, and there was only a single vial left since the Demon had drank the two healing ones. Which left only the wand as the new item for her to look at. After Penelope picked up the Shadow Essence and put it in one of the empty vials and pocketed the glass tubes, she opened her menu and looked at the weapon.
Nature Wand Speed +1 Nature Damage +5%
She didn¡¯t have any spells with the nature affinity, but the additional point to Speed was better than getting nothing from the staff that she was using. Plus, the wooden wand was a lot easier to wield than the long, heavy staff. As soon as she stuck the wand through her belt loop, a notification popped up. New Class Unlocked! Caster -> Greenhorn New Passive Unlocked! Doublecast ¡°I wonder what that does¡­¡± Penelope bit her lip as she cycled through her status screen.
Spells Light Pulse (Mana Cost: 3): Fires a fist-sized projectile of Light Magic. Weak Tier 0 damage. Light Arc (Mana Cost: 3): Fires a thin tendril of charged Light Magic. Minor Tier 0 damage. Light Ball (Mana Cost: 3): Create a powerful ball of Light Magic that can be thrown. Low Tier 0 damage. Light Bolt (Mana Cost: 3): Fires a powerful bolt of Light Magic with minor seeking. Basic Tier 0 damage. Light Orb (Mana Cost: 3): Releases a slow-moving ball of Light Magic that seeks the closest target. Explodes on contact. Moderate Tier 0 Damage.
Passives Light Affinity: Increase Light based damage by 40% Doublecast: Casts a copy of a spell alongside the original that does 50% damage. Spells cost ? more mana.
Inventory Vial of Weak Shadow Essence 2x Weak Healing Potion 2x Weak Mana Potion Infernal Water 4x Empty Vial 3xStolen novel; please report.
¡°It looks like my spells are going to cost more now.¡± Penelope closed the menu and walked over to her stash. She put on the robe from the Healer-type Demon, then poured the Demonic Essence into her soda bottle. The black slime melted together, filling almost two-thirds of the plastic bottle. She shook the bottle as she walked, content to listen to the Shlop noise that the sticky substance made as it was tilted around. Penelope did her best to not look towards the other group. They had finished their side and were at the entrance, trying to find a way through. Penelope couldn¡¯t hear what they were saying, but it was animated, and that by itself was enough for her to want to stay clear. She deposited her loot in the northwest corner of the safe zone, then turned to face the next group of monsters. Her stomach let out a soft growl as she looked at the Demons, reminding her that the peanuts that she¡¯d eaten weren¡¯t going to be a substitute for lunch. Given that she was locked on the floor for four days without any visible food or water sources, she had a feeling that she was going to be very hungry by the time she finished. ¡°Or you could cook some of the monsters.¡± Jeru¡¯s voice filled her mind. ¡°Can you hear my thoughts?¡± Penelope risked a glance at the other group. She didn¡¯t want them to see her talking to herself and think she was trying to get their attention. She also didn¡¯t want to get caught looking at them and have them think that she was trying to build up the courage to approach them. She was fine on her own at the moment. ¡°We¡¯re linked. Everything you think, see, feel, and hear is shared with me.¡± Penelope shivered. ¡°So you¡¯re saying I have a parasite.¡± ¡°A parasite takes nutrients from the host.¡± The Elf snickered. ¡°I¡¯m just along for the ride, so this is more of a commensalistic partnership.¡± ¡°How am I not being harmed when you withhold information that gets me killed?" Penelope¡¯s voice rose to just above a whisper as she enunciated. ¡°But did you really die?" Jeru scoffed. ¡°I mean, we reset back, so it¡¯s really a little bit of pain that you¡¯re hoping to avoid.¡± He laughed. ¡°And pain is one of the best teachers.¡± ¡°Just¡­¡± Penelope shook her head. ¡°Be quiet if you¡¯re not going to help. I don¡¯t need you distracting me and having to start all over.¡± ¡°That sounds like the perfect reason to distract you.¡± Jeru appeared in front of her at a full six inches tall. ¡°The faster you get used to dying, the easier it¡¯ll be for you to plan out your path.¡± ¡°Is that an observation or a hope?¡± ¡°Experience.¡± He floated in front of her with his arms behind his head. ¡°The ones who spent the most time trying to avoid dying were the ones who progressed the least and gave up the fastest.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to give up.¡± Penelope swatted at him, but her hand went through his blue form. ¡°Oh-ho-ho! That tickles!¡± ¡°You are the weirdest¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°You think I¡¯m having weird mood swings?¡± Jeru rotated in the air, then leaned back so he could look at her upside down. ¡°Girlie, the only thing keeping me sane is making fun of the situation. I¡¯ve seen more people die before I came back in time than some people meet in their lifetime. And that¡¯s not counting how many people I¡¯ve seen die here.¡± He rolled over. ¡°Is the depression suffocating? Yes. But what am I going to do? If I give up, then there isn¡¯t another chance. Me walking away means the deaths of trillions. That¡¯s too much blood for me to live with. But¡­¡± He twirled his finger in the air. ¡°One of the downsides of the loop is you stop caring because everything resets.¡± He paused, then sighed. ¡°Just don¡¯t do what Kenny did and burn the whole thing down just because you can. That guy was a psycho.¡± ¡°Stay away from Kenny, got it.¡± Penelope looked at the semi-translucent man. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?" ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if I¡¯m not.¡± He shrugged, then started to disappear. ¡°So why treat a symptom when the cause is festering?¡± His voice began to fade. ¡°If you really want to help me, then clear the Dungeon.¡± She sat in silence for a few moments. It was mostly to ensure that he was done talking, though there was a part of her that was enjoying the silence. As much as she would have enjoyed taking a longer break, it was better to pad her time now than to rush to make up for time later. She stood up and took out the wand. It felt familiar in her hand, but there was nothing significant about it. The tip glowed with a soft green, while the shaft itself looked like it had been multiple branches that had been twisted together, but overall there was nothing that should have reminded her of anything. Considering that Jeru hadn¡¯t appeared to explain was proof enough for Penelope to decide that she wasn¡¯t going to understand why she felt that way. She was just going to have to keep pushing forward. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then opened her eyes to focus on the group to the north. It was time to clear another room. Chapter 14 - The Next Monsters The monsters were ready. Penelope couldn¡¯t use her trick of staying safe here either. The Dungeon floor was flat, with very few obstacles in the way that could stop her from seeing the fights that were ahead. That meant that all of the Demons could see her and the other team, and they had plenty of time to strategize how to fight her. To give herself the most room to move, she walked over to the middle of the barrier. She gripped the wand tight and flicked it in the air as she ran through how she wanted to handle the fight. She¡¯d seen how brutal the Demonic Beetles had been each time the other two parties had been killed. The Shadows leading them seemed to take great pleasure in finishing off the last survivor. It ended faster than their allies died, but it was still brutal and not something that she wanted to remember. Neither of the fights where the other groups died would give her any insight into this one. The room the first group went into had a Caster, and the room the second one went into had an Assassin. The monster in front of her was a Warrior. Unlike the first one that she fought, this one didn¡¯t have a helmet, so its earthen finger-length horns were on full display. The armor was similar, but the weapon was different enough to give her a reason not to go in this room first. Instead of a longsword, this Demon had a mace. The shaft was as thick as her arm, and the round head was bigger than hers, with spikes almost as long as her hand jutting out of it. Penelope glanced at the other group out of the corner of her eye. They were in the room they usually started, but this time they were getting close to finishing. Ula, the strong grandma, and Patrick, the man who looked like he¡¯d seen more sun today than in the last year, were both in full metal armor. Marlow, the Healer, had a bow and was trying to shoot the monsters while also healing everyone. Dawson, the youngest person on the team, was a little older than Penelope and dressed in the same leather armor as Marlow. Except instead of using a bow, the younger man was casting only spells. As uneasy as she was about this fight after how difficult the last one had been, the thought of lingering in the safe zone and being approached by the other group a second time pushed her to get in the square. Penelope stuck her foot through the barrier. The monsters were crouching, like a sprinter who was waiting for the race to start. She took a deep breath and pushed forward. As soon as she was more than halfway through the barrier, the Demonic Beetles charged, their forked horns lowered, aiming to impale her. ¡°Light Orb! Light Orb!¡± Penelope created two balls in front of her to keep the Demons from continuing their charge. With a small chance to breathe while the Demons readjusted, she let loose three quick streaks of . DING! Experience +12 She was getting better at hitting things, and the seeking function of her new spell ensured she had a much larger margin for error. All three spells found their mark and dropped the first monster. With one less monster to her left, it was the best direction to rotate to get away from the pair that were charging from the right. ¡°Wha-!¡± Penelope started to run to the left, only to have the Demonic Bat swoop down at her. She had been used to the ceiling monsters being slow, and the aerial monsters were the fastest thing that she¡¯d encountered so far.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Kree! She got her right arm up in time to block the claws on its feet from tearing up her face, but it still had smaller claws on the wings that pulled at her hair as they dug into her scalp. When it tried to bite her, she grabbed it by the throat ¡°LIGHT BOLT! LI-¡± DING! Experience +12 The spell tore through the monster¡¯s neck, severing it off and letting the snapping jaws roll over her head, jerking her head to the left as it tangled in her hair as it fell. ¡°Ah! Oomph!¡± One of the Demonic Beetles reached her, goring her right side with its forked horn. The force of the impact drove her back; the monster didn¡¯t stop running just because it had collided with her. Penelope dropped the wand as her right arm fell limp over the monster¡¯s horn. ¡°Light Bolt! Light Bolt! Ligh-! UGH!¡± Her back hit the barrier, and she began to slide along it as the monster kept charging. Penelope¡¯s mind began to visualize what would have happened if the monster had driven her straight into the barrier instead of diagonally. She pushed those thoughts out of her mind and clenched her jaw as she focused on not resetting. She¡¯d hit the barrier about a third of the way from the wall, but with this angle, it wasn¡¯t going to be long until she was pushed into the corner. She twisted so she could point her hand better at the running monster pushing her across the wall. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± DING! Experience +12 You are now Level Six Stats increased: Defense +1, Magic +1 You have learned: Light Blast The weight of the monster attached to her side pulled her to kneel on her right leg as she stumbled. CRACK! Penelope didn¡¯t know what broke, but she didn¡¯t have time to worry about it. The other two Demonic Beetles were still charging. Her numb right arm felt like it was being torn off as she braced against the stone floor and pushed herself off of the forked horn. She needed to take a Healing Potion, but with only one usable arm, spellcasting was the more important action. ¡°Please be good¡­¡±Penelope muttered under her breath as she threw her hand out at the charging Demons. ¡°LIGHT BLAST!¡± A blast of light shot out of the palm of her hand in a cone that reached thirty feet away. Both Demonic Beetles were burned by the light, but that didn¡¯t stop them. ¡°LIGHT BLAST! LI---¡± DING! Experience +6 Experience +6 The Demons died, but their momentum wasn¡¯t so easily arrested. The corpses slid the rest of the way, the painful forks aimed at her feet. Penelope tried to move out of the way but tripped over the horn of the last monster and face-planted on the stone floor. ¡°Ugh!¡± Pain shot through her as Penelope rolled over and started digging in her robe pocket for the right potion. She pulled out Infernal Water on her first try. ¡°Come on!¡± She jammed her hand back in her pocket, but pressure clamped her arm against the stone floor. The Demon had its bare foot on her only usable arm. The spiked mace in its hands rose into the air as a smile split its bare head. Glowing orange eyes focused on her face. There was nothing magical happening, but the gaze alone was enough to make her heart speed up and lungs heave for air. ¡°HA! HA! HA!¡± Penelope clenched her jaw and closed her eyes. The pressure on her arm increased as the other foot pushed down on her pelvis. She opened her eyes and saw the mace wiggling around above the Demon as the oppressive gaze smiled even wider. ¡°DO IT!¡± A chill gripped her lungs as she ordered her own death. ¡°DON¡¯T JUST STAND THERE LIKE A¡ª¡± The wind whistled as the mace rushed to her face. Her world blossomed into pain. Chapter 15 - Take Four Blinding light. Penelope started to grab her face but stopped when she remembered they were full. Her right arm worked now, and even though her face was throbbing, she knew that there wasn¡¯t anything wrong with it. Her nerves were on fire as her heart raced, trying to match how fast it had been going right before she died. Her brain buzzed as it failed to sync with how it had been feeling moments before. ¡°Hey!¡± The large man with a tattoo of a dragon climbing up his arm backed into her from her left again. ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going!¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t the time or the place to have a meltdown.¡± Penelope ducked around the large man and headed towards the Dungeon. ¡°HEY, TUTS! I¡¯M TALKIN¡¯ TO YOU!¡± She ignored the bald man and did her best to dodge the fighting and the shoving. It was the second time that she¡¯d gone this way right after a reset, but it was already starting to feel familiar. ¡°Hey! What are you¡ª¡± Penelope ignored Oakley and walked into the Dungeon before the intro started. The musty smell helped to calm her nerves a little. It also helped that the barriers blocked almost all sound as well, giving her a refuge from the suffocating noise on the other side of the portal. ¡°Let¡¯s try this again¡­¡± Penelope put her food down in the corner like normal, then opened her menu and selected as her affinity. With that out of the way, she closed the menu and stuck her hand through the barrier. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± Nothing happened. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± She groaned and refocused on the Demonic Ants. ¡°Back to level one. Light Pulse!¡± Penelope had eleven casts of , which became twelve when she ran back and forth. She didn¡¯t want to stay still and shoot because she was curious about how to force herself to get different stats when she leveled. Taking her time was making the fight take longer, but it also meant that she wasn¡¯t missing as much, and she wouldn¡¯t have the downtime where she was just sitting and waiting for her mana to recharge. DING! Experience +30 Experience +30 Experience +30 Penelope had only missed twice in twelve spells, which was enough to kill three of the four Demonic Ants and leave a hit on one of them. She still had half her mana when the first group walked in. ¡°I thought you¡¯d be dead!¡± Oakley grinned as he walked over to her. Penelope flinched at his approach. The brown-haired man held up his hands as he slowed down. ¡°Hey, just trying to be friendly. The three of us grouped up, and I thought you might want to join us. My name¡¯s Oakley.¡± His green eyes traveled across the three dead Demons. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s pretty easy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not!¡± The words rushed out of her mouth. She wasn¡¯t breathing hard, but she was starting to get winded. ¡°I mean.¡± She closed her eyes so she didn¡¯t have to look at the rock-covered man. ¡°I mean that¡­¡± Penelope¡¯s voice trailed off as she realized what she was about to do. If she gave him the advice on which way would be easier, then the other group would have to either move forward or join her. She¡¯d watched Ula¡¯s group try to enter the same square as Oakley¡¯s before, but the barrier wouldn¡¯t let them through. She had a feeling that since there were six monsters, the biggest group could only have six. That would force her to let the other group die or join them. Neither option felt good. ¡°It¡¯s okay, no pressure. Maybe you can join us later.¡± He smiled at her, then jerked his thumb towards the group that they always took. ¡°We¡¯re going to get started. If you change your mind, you know where to find us.¡± Penelope swallowed the guilt as she kept silent and watched them enter the room that would be their grave. ¡°Not easy, huh?¡± Jeru appeared in front of her as she looked away. ¡°Nobody stays dead until I beat this thing.¡± Penelope took a deep breath and turned back to the monsters. ¡°I¡¯ll figure out how to save them once I¡¯m better at this.¡± ¡°You accepted that you¡¯re going to die again?¡± Jeru clicked his tongue. ¡°That was brutal last time. A mace to the face.¡± He grinned. ¡°That sounds poetic.¡± ¡°Would you just be quiet and let me work?¡± Penelope waved him away. ¡°I want to get this cleared before Ula¡¯s group shows up.¡± ¡°Already got your favorites?¡± Jeru grinned. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll let you get back to monster hunting.¡± Penelope took a deep breath and focused on the Demonic Ant in front of her. She needed to keep moving so she didn¡¯t think about letting those people die. With enough mana to cast six more times, she took off to the other end of the barrier and then stepped inside, firing a pair of spells the moment she was inside.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. DING! Experience +30 You are now Level Two Stats increased: Speed +1, Magic +1 You have learned: Light Arc The last Demonic Ant went down, and she turned her attention to the Shadow Knight. She pointed at it with her right hand as she released all four casts of her new spell into its chest. DING! Experience +60 That left her with the mana for one more spell thanks to the level-up. Penelope looked up at the Ceiling Creeper. It took two hits to kill one, so she¡¯d have to run around for a bit. It was far enough away that she could go over to the corpse of the Demon and retrieve the potions. She rolled the blue vial in her palm, then looked at the Shadow Essence drying out on the stone floor. ¡°Light Arc!¡± She threw her last spell at the monster above her, then downed the metallic-tasting liquid. ¡°Light Arc!¡± DING! Experience +24 You are now Level Three Stats increased: Recovery +1, Magic +1 You have learned: Light Ball With the square cleared, she knelt down and put the Shadow Essence into the empty vial. Penelope started to carry the armor over to the entrance but decided to just take the longsword over when she went to retrieve her soda and peanuts. She put the sword in front of the entrance, pointing towards the armor that she¡¯d stacked as well as she could. It was going to be another fifteen minutes before Ula¡¯s team arrived, and Penelope didn¡¯t want to wait that long with full mana. She was going to try to catch them if she could, but this Shadow Caster was where the fights started getting harder. A quick check of her stats confirmed that.
Penelope Flynn
Level 3 - Caster
Experience 204/300
Stamina 7/32
Mana 42/44
4 Power 3 Defense 9 Speed
12 Magic 7 Recovery 3 Aura
The Shadow Caster hadn¡¯t pulled the minions back or spread them out, so she still had that going for her. She took a deep breath and stuck her hand through the barrier, except she didn¡¯t aim at the monsters. ¡°Light Arc! Light Arc!¡± Both hit the Shadow Caster, which stumbled as it tried to blast her hand with air. Penelope ignored the cuts on the back of her hand. It was just a glancing blow compared to what she¡¯d received last time. ¡°Light Arc!¡± DING! Experience +48 Penelope yanked back her hand as the first Demonic Ant reached her. ¡°Yes!¡± She pumped her fist. With enough mana for eleven spells, she had plenty to clear the square, but it was almost time for Ula¡¯s group to enter. Penelope ran across the cleared safe zone. Without anything to do but wait, her eyes wandered to where Oakley¡¯s team was struggling against the enormous beetles and bats. Guilt hollowed a hole in her stomach as she tried not to think about what was minutes away from happening. She didn¡¯t have to wait by the armor long. ¡°Hey!¡± There was a tingling in her chest as she waved at them. She pointed at the pile of armor. ¡°You can use this!¡± She pointed at the room to the east. ¡°The row closest to the wall is easiest!¡± Penelope didn¡¯t wait for them to say anything; she just turned and ran back to her barrier. The monsters were all waiting for her on the other side. When she reached the barrier, she turned and ran back the other way. Once she was far enough ahead of them, she ran into the barrier and didn¡¯t stop until she was at the Shadow Caster¡¯s corpse. Penelope picked up the staff and pointed it at the Demonic Ants, firing her best spell. ¡°Light Arc!¡± DING! Experience +18 Experience +18 Experience +18 You are now Level Four Stats increased: Speed +1, Magic +1 You have learned: Light Bolt New Class Unlocked! Caster -> Greenhorn New Passive Unlocked! Doublecast Not a single one of the six spells missed their mark. The staff helped to stabilize her casting, though she was starting to get the hang of it. With and the staff, she was going to have an easier time with the next room, though it was the wand that she really wanted. With the main threats taken care of, she had enough time to pick up the silver necklace and put it on. The robe didn¡¯t enhance her damage in any way, so she left it on the ground. She turned her attention to the two Ceiling Creepers. ¡°Light Bolt! Light Bolt!¡± DING! Experience +12 Experience +12 She glanced at her stats as she put on the robe and folded the pants.
Penelope Flynn
Level 4 - Greenhorn
Experience 330/400
Stamina 12/34
Mana 19/48
4 Power 3 Defense 10 Speed
13+1 Magic 7 Recovery 3 Aura
Air Damage +5%
Penelope put the Healing Potions in the left pocket and the Mana Potion in the right one. She didn¡¯t have an empty vial at the moment to save the Shadow Essence, so she held it in the palm of her hand while she moved her stash. She left the Infernal Water with the rest of her stuff and allowed herself a small break before she was ready to do the next one. Chapter 16 - The Encyclopedia of Jeru The Shadow Caster had the minions held back. Penelope didn¡¯t care, because she knew that with she¡¯d be able to one-shot the minions. There wasn¡¯t enough time for them all to reach her before she¡¯d kill them. The strange red glow covered the three Demonic Ants as they charged her. A zigzagged out of the tip of her spiked staff every time the words of the spell left her lips. The secondary cast from following so close behind that she couldn¡¯t even tell it was there. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± DING! Experience +12 ¡°Light Bolt!¡± DING! Experience +12 ¡°Light Bolt!¡± DING! Experience +12 The Ceiling Creepers were too far away to be a threat, but she remembered that if she killed them second, she got less experience. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± DING! Experience +12 ¡°Light Bolt!¡± DING! Experience +12 ¡°Now it¡¯s just you and me.¡± Penelope pointed the staff at the Demon. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± She pulled out the Mana Potion and downed the repulsive liquid. ¡°Light Bolt! Light Bolt!¡± DING! Experience +36 You are now Level Five Stats increased: Recovery +1, Magic +1 You have learned: Light Orb Penelope walked over to the pile of items and took the and slipped it on her finger, then she scooped up the Shadow Essence into the empty vial. She took the potions and put the Healing Potion in her left pocket and the Mana Potion in her right, then she folded the clothes. Once she moved all the items in her stash her mana had completely recharged and so had her stamina.
Penelope Flynn
Level 5 - Greenhorn
Experience 426/500
Stamina 34/34
Mana 54/54
4 Power 3 Defense 10 Speed
14+1 Magic 8+1 Recovery 3 Aura
Air Damage +5% Water Damage +5%
She was making a lot better on the time as well.
Dungeon Floor 1
Time Remaining: 3:22:29:45
A pang of guilt ran through her as she remembered Oakley¡¯s team. She looked over at the square, but his team was already dead. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. There was nothing she could do about it this run.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. She turned to the last room on her side of the row. This wasn¡¯t a fight that she was looking forward to, but none of them really were. They were just obstacles for her to get her life back. Penelope found herself thinking about home and if she¡¯d want to go back. This was an alien planet, which meant that there were a lot of unknowns for her to explore. She swallowed. Deciding if she wanted to stay would have to wait until she cleared the Dungeon. ¡°Okay.¡± She stepped through the barrier and pointed her staff at the monster. ¡°Your turn.¡± ROAR! The four Demonic Ants ran towards her. Four met their charge. DING! Experience +6 Experience +6 Experience +6 Experience +6 She stepped into range of the other Caster, who jabbed the wand in her direction. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± Penelope ignored the stings on her chest. ¡°Light Bolt! Li-¡± DING! Experience +24 ¡°Well, that was easy¡­¡± She looked up at the last demon and cast her current favorite spell once. DING! Experience +6 ¡°Twenty more experience¡­¡± Penelope shook her head and closed the menu. She walked over to her stash and drank the last of her soda, put the three Shadow Essences she¡¯d collected inside the empty bottle, then snacked on her peanuts as she walked to the loot pile. She licked her lips as she put the half-eaten bag down. ¡°Should¡¯ve eaten those before I finished the soda.¡± ¡°You could drink the water if you¡¯re thirsty.¡± Jeru spoke in her head. ¡°You want me to drink Infernal Water?¡± Penelope raised an eyebrow. ¡°How do you think my body is going to handle water from the infernal plane?¡± ¡°If it kills you, then you¡¯ll know next time.¡± The blue Elf chuckled. ¡°Seriously though. It might taste bad, but it¡¯s mostly harmless.¡± ¡°Mostly?¡± ¡°Smell it.¡± Mischief smothered every word. Penelope opened one of the vials, but she didn¡¯t have to bring it up to her nose to know what it smelled like. ¡°That¡¯s sulfur water!¡± The rotten egg smell filled her nostrils. ¡°I can¡¯t drink that!¡± ¡°Sure you can. There are lots of people who drink sulfur water.¡± He hummed. ¡°Isn¡¯t there a city near where you live that you can get it out of the tap at the park?¡± Penelope frowned. ¡°I know what you¡¯re talking about, but that¡¯s gross.¡± ¡°Grosser than how thirsty you¡¯re going to be in three days?¡± Penelope looked at the vial in her hand. It held five ounces of liquid, which wasn¡¯t going to get her anywhere close to the amount of fluids she¡¯d need in three days. But the annoying Elf had a point. She was going to need fluids. She pinched her nose and drained the vial. The familiar metallic taste filled her mouth, but it didn¡¯t make her gag, which was a plus. She hated that Jeru had been right and it did quench her thirst. ¡°Ha-Ha Ha! Told you.¡± ¡°You were right. Now quit reading my thoughts.¡± Penelope put the rest of the items down and clutched the wand. She suppressed a shiver as she looked at the next square. She had the same tools that she¡¯d had last time but hadn¡¯t thought of a way to not get overwhelmed before the Demons were on her. Once they reached her, she was done. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do the same room.¡± Jeru¡¯s voice had grown serious. Penelope looked at the next room over. The Shadow Caster over there was red with a staff that burned with fire on the end. Its red eyes were locked onto her. Casters had been the hardest Demon for her to take head-on, but that wasn¡¯t what made the room more enticing. There were only three Demonic Beetles. It was still more than the Demonic Bats, but she only needed two kills to take her to level six, where she would get an AoE spell that could deal with the chargers. ¡°You¡¯re helping me now?¡± Penelope gave one quick glance at the Shadow Warrior before she started walking east. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you anything.¡± Jeru scoffed. ¡°Just pointing out that there are other options. How do you know I wasn¡¯t talking about joining Ula¡¯s group or taking on one of the other rooms?¡± Penelope¡¯s heart sped up at the thought of joining a group. She shook her head. She was fine with staying solo until she wasn¡¯t able to push forward. Only then would she think about joining up. She looked at the other two squares. To keep things straight, she assigned each row the number of the level of the monsters, then going from west to east, she alphabetized them. The Shadow Warrior was in 2A and the Shadow Caster was in 2B. 2C had a Shadow Assassin that hadn¡¯t stopped spinning the blades in its hands every few seconds. It was like it had too much coffee and needed an outlet for all the energy inside it. 2D was led by a Shadow Swordsman. A menacing spectral aura emanated off of its armor, while the core of the sword¡¯s blade would pulse every few seconds with a dull red glow. The assassin was the least enticing to her, especially since it had four of the Demonic Beetles with it. The Warrior was a much better option since it had three of the bugs like the Caster. The only reason why Penelope wanted to do the Caster first was because of the possible loot. The Warrior wasn¡¯t going to give her anything that she could use. ¡°How do you know that?¡± Jeru interrupted her brainstorming. Penelope shook her head. ¡°What could a Power-type monster have that I need?¡± ¡°A ring of Speed?¡± ¡°Does it?¡± She turned to look at the barrier. At least the faint reflection in the magic let her feel like she was talking to someone instead of herself. ¡°Hey!¡± The blue Elf appeared in front of her. ¡°You ask for my help and then treat me like a hallucination?¡± Penelope eyed him. ¡°You were the one bragging about knowing where everything was on the first floor.¡± She folded her arms. ¡°So answer the question. Does it have something that I can use?¡± Jeru sighed. ¡°Fine. No, the item that it has is a Sword of Power. The rest is just defensive gear that you¡¯re not strong enough to wear.¡± ¡°See?¡± She motioned at squares 2B and 2C. ¡°What about those?¡± The blue Elf raised an eyebrow as he rubbed his chin. ¡°Caster has Magic Sandals. Assassin has a Speed Ring.¡± ¡°So both would be helpful.¡± She nodded at the monster that had killed her on the last run. ¡°And that one?¡± ¡°Greaves of Power.¡± He folded his arms. ¡°Are you done with the encyclopedia of Jeru?¡± ¡°Do you have anything else helpful that you¡¯ll tell me?¡± Her answer was the Elf vanishing. She would level in the next square, but then it would take two more to level again. Penelope stopped in the middle of the barrier to 2B. She might as well give herself the best advantage that she could. Chapter 17 - What’s for Lunch? Penelope started circling the Demons as soon as she walked through the barrier. Her problem the last time had been staying in the same spot for too long. While the Demonic Beetles could take a beating, they couldn¡¯t change direction on the fly once they started charging. By heading in a circle, she was able to keep them from boxing her in. She had to keep one eye on the ceiling to make sure the Demonic Bats weren¡¯t about to attack her. After the initial movement of the Demonic Beetles, the entire cluster was staying near the middle of the square, all six sets of eyes focused on her. Penelope flicked her wand towards the group of monsters. ¡°Light Orb! Light Orb! Light Orb!¡± The three main orbs were each followed by a smaller version thanks to . With the train of floating projectiles marching towards the group of monsters, she moved into range. Twelve mana was a lot to spend on a diversion, but she had a mana potion that she could drink once she got low, even though she hoped that she¡¯d be able to keep more than just one on her. The monsters on the ground split, with a Demonic Beetle arcing to her right to get around the three projectiles, while the third one backed up behind the Demon. ¡°Light Bolt! Light¡ª¡± Penelope fired a spell at the one on her left but changed targets when both Demonic Bats swooped down towards her. ¡­Bolt! Light Bolt!¡± DING! Experience +12 ¡°Light Bolt!¡± She missed with two of the three and had to roll to her left to avoid the flying monster. She changed her target back to the wounded Demonic Beetle. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± DING! Experience +12 You are now Level Six Stats increased: Speed +1, Magic +1 You have learned: Light Blast Penelope spun around and pointed the wand at the attacking Demonic Bat. ¡°Light Blast!¡± DING! Experience +6 A fireball hit her left shoulder, burning a hole in the fabric of the black robe and her green shirt. When Penelope turned back to Shadow Caster, she saw another fireball flying over the third Demonic Beetle that was now charging straight for her. Penelope ducked out of the way of the spell, then backed out of range of the Shadow Caster. She had a charging Demonic Beetle in front of her and one on her right that was almost on her. She didn¡¯t need to have to worry about dodging fireballs as well. The problem was that backing up was boxing her into the southwest corner. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± She fired behind her as she ran northwest as best she could. Once the Demonic Beetles started charging, she couldn¡¯t outrun them, and if they were chasing behind her, she couldn¡¯t rotate enough to throw them off of her. The Shadow Caster mirrored her move and shot a pair of fireballs towards her, forcing her to back up. The Demonic Beetle coming at her from the middle began to arc from the north, giving her an opening if she charged to the middle, but that would move her into range of the Caster and block off her exit. Penelope rotated her left arm in front of her, holding her hand open with the thumb pointed towards the ground as she backed away from the spells. She pointed the wand at the wounded Demonic Beetle to her right and waited until her spell would hit both of the monsters. ¡°Light Blast!¡± DING! Experience +6 Penelope slid her left palm along the horn of the dead monster and pushed. She was still spun by the faster-moving monster, but the roadrash was worth putting the dead Demonic Beetle in between her and the last living one. She pulled a Healing Potion out of her left pocket and downed the spicy liquid. She dropped the empty vial as she scrambled out of the way of the rolling corpse as the remaining Demonic Beetle crashed into the dead one. Penelope pointed her wand at the monster as she scooted away from the rolling corpse. The monsters were the size of a large dog, but they weighed over four hundred pounds. Having one roll on top of her wouldn¡¯t kill her, but it¡¯d hurt. ¡°Light Blast!¡± DING! Experience +6 The rolling monster slowed enough that Penelope was able to scoot out of the way as it continued for a few more rolls until it hit the barrier. As much as she wanted to celebrate her victory, the fight wasn¡¯t over.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. A quick check of her mana showed that there was fourteen left, which was enough if she didn¡¯t miss. She brushed herself off as she stood up. There was a mana potion in reserve if she ran out, but the Demon had her cornered, which pushed that worry to the bottom of the list. She could run either direction, but that would put her in the range of the Shadow Caster without anywhere to retreat. There was more room to her right, but that put her closer to being in the corner, which was a really bad place to fight from. Without a good way to attack and fade, Penelope gritted her teeth and charged. ¡°Light Bolt! Light- UGH!¡± A fireball hit her in the chest, slowing her progress. ¡°...Bolt!¡± The spell didn¡¯t activate, and fire burned away more of her robe. Penelope watched the Demon and waited until it shot another fireball. She hopped to her right. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± DING! Experience +24 The barrier behind her went down, letting her know that the fight was over. Penelope peeled out of her damaged robe as she walked over to the dead Caster. She put the Shadow Essence in the empty vial, then lifted up the red robe.
Red Shadow Robe Provides no protection from attacks
¡°It says that, but it doesn¡¯t have any damage to it.¡± Penelope shoved one of her arms through the sleeve, then wrapped it around herself and tied it with the belt. This Demon had the same potions as the others, which gave her two Mana Potions and four Healing Potions. The Infernal Water went next to her damaged robe that she¡¯d folded. She folded the red pants and put them on the robe. All that was left were the sandals.
Red Shadow Sandals Magic +1 Fire Resistance +5%
Penelope¡¯s feet were small enough that she was able to slide the sandals on over her shoes, but when she pulled up her interface, it still had her footwear listed as sneakers. ¡°You can¡¯t stack gear like that.¡± Jeru clicked his tongue. ¡°I mean, from a defensive point, if you wanted to put on all of those robes, you¡¯d get some insulation from attacks, but the bonuses that gear provides only applies to the layer closest to your skin.¡± ¡°You mean I have to stick my feet in those?¡± Penelope wrinkled her nose. ¡°You¡¯re going to do worse before this is over.¡± The blue Elf chuckled. ¡°Which would you rather do: stick your feet in a Demon¡¯s shoes or get burned?¡± He nodded at her chest that was still warm from the fireball. ¡°Ugh!¡± Penelope slipped off her sneakers and began lacing up the sandals so they would fit her smaller feet. She kept her socks on because she didn¡¯t want to feel the surface of the footwear with her bare feet. The straps helped to fit the sandals tight so that she wouldn¡¯t slip when she ran. She gathered up the loose items and brought them over to her stash and added her loot to the pile. With another square down, she turned her attention to what she needed to do next. Penelope pulled up her stats.
Penelope Flynn
Level 6 - Greenhorn
Experience 546/600
Stamina 32/34
Mana 10/58
4 Power 3 Defense 11+1 Speed
15+2 Magic 8+1 Recovery 3 Aura
Air Damage +5% Fire Resistance 5% Nature Damage +5% Water Damage +5%
¡°That¡¯s eighteen minutes until my mana is full.¡± Penelope touched her stomach. She was starting to feel hungry, but she¡¯d already eaten all of her food. ¡°Jeru. I can drink the water I get off of Demons, but what am I supposed to eat?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Jeru swept his hand over the cleared rooms. ¡°There¡¯s food all over the place.¡± Penelope paled even more than her skin tone. ¡°You want me to eat monsters?¡± ¡°You eat cows.¡± He raised an eyebrow. ¡°It¡¯s the same thing.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not!¡± Her hunger turned into nausea. ¡°Those are¡­ Those are¡­¡± ¡°Free meat?¡± Jeru chuckled. ¡°BUGS!¡± Penelope found the word that had been eluding her. ¡°How do you expect me to eat bugs? Are they even safe to eat?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll want to cook it well, but you¡¯ve got your light magic, so that won¡¯t be a problem.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t be a¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s got to be something else.¡± She pointed at the other rooms. ¡°Are you telling me that none of those Demons brought anything to eat?¡± Jeru grimaced, then sighed and nodded towards the square that Oakley¡¯s group had attacked. The only sign that there had been anyone in there was a shoe that one of the Demonic Bats was gnawing on. Otherwise, there was no trace of the humans. Penelope turned green. ¡°They planned on letting their beasts eat the people in the city above.¡± Jeru shrugged. ¡°Why not do the same to them?¡± ¡°Because¡­¡± She groaned. ¡°Is there at least something out there that isn¡¯t a bug?¡± ¡°Demonic Frogs are in the fifth row. Demonic Boars are in the ninth, and Demonic Rabbits are in the tenth.¡± He eyed her. ¡°At the rate you¡¯re going, you¡¯re not going to make it that deep before the hunger starts distracting you.¡± With each square taking her twenty minutes to clear, it would take her seven hours to clear her half up to the fifth row. It¡¯d been just before eight in the morning when she¡¯d been taken, which would be around five in the afternoon for her. That was like a day where she skipped lunch, except she¡¯d also skipped breakfast that morning for a quick snack. And the squares were going to take longer the farther she went. Penelope sighed as she relented that Jeru had a point. Not that she was going to tell him that. The smile that spread across his face reminded her that he could hear her thoughts. ¡°I¡¯m going to keep going.¡± She took a Mana Potion out of her pocket. It would top off her mana, and she could keep fighting as long as she had one in reserve. Penelope looked to the square to the north. ¡°What loot does that one have?¡± Chapter 18 - Take… Whatever 2C was her target. 3B was led by a Shadow Knight. Penelope didn¡¯t need any metal gear, and fighting the Demonic Grasshoppers wasn¡¯t something she was ready for. Plus there was another monster in there somewhere that she didn¡¯t see. The unknown had been getting her killed, so she wanted some more levels before she went deeper. Penelope had waited until her mana was fully recharged instead of using the potion. While she longed to get out of the Dungeon, she also didn¡¯t care for dying. Extra insurance was never a bad idea in life-or-death situations. The fifty-four experience that she¡¯d earn for clearing the square was also the exact amount that she needed to level. She wouldn¡¯t earn anything from killing the minions once she leveled, so if she wanted experience from them, she needed to get it first. Penelope walked up to the barrier and stepped through, keeping an eye on the Demonic Bat as she sped up to a jog. ¡°Light Orb!¡± She set an orb in front of her and followed behind it. As soon as she was in range, she targeted the closest Demonic Beetle. ¡°Li¨C-¡± The Shadow Assassin had disappeared. Pain blossomed in her neck, then the blinding light claimed her. Penelope growled as she restarted back in the middle of the crowd. She¡¯d been trying to plan things out, and she was getting better, but she¡¯d still failed again. She wove her way through the crowd and started clearing her way through the Dungeon. She was able to make it back to her earlier point without much change. There were four Healing Potions in her left pocket and two Mana Potions in her right. She¡¯d learned how to force her stat gains where she wanted them and had the same stat spread as her previous run. Jeru had been silent through the run, his usual taunting left the noise of fighting in her square all that existed to fill the void. Penelope took a deep breath. ¡°Round two.¡± She started running as soon as she was through the barrier. The Shadow Assassin was faster than she was, but she was testing to see if it could portal to a specific location or to a specific target. The Demon¡¯s yellow eyes narrowed as she ran. This time, instead of launching the , she spread the fingers on her left hand. ¡°Light Orb!¡± The glowing ball of light the size of a basketball swirled to life in her hand and stayed there. Penelope grinned when the Shadow Assassin growled. If it tried to portal behind her, she would be able to hit it with the spell. She wasn¡¯t sure if she¡¯d be fast enough, but she was going to try. ¡°Light Bolt! Light Bolt!¡± DING! Experience +6 The Demonic Bat swooped at her as she made it a quarter of the way around the square. ¡°Light Blast!¡± DING! Experience +6 Evasive maneuvers didn¡¯t matter against an area of effect spell. Pain blossomed in her neck, then the blinding light claimed her. ¡°UGH!!¡± Penelope took off through the crowd again and fought her way back through the Dungeon until she was at the Assassin¡¯s square once again. ¡°Round three.¡± She muttered as she ran in. This time when the Demonic Bat swooped, Penelope kept an eye on the Demon. The moment she released her spell, it vanished. Penelope swung her arm as she twisted, the basketball-sized projectile connecting with its target. DING! Experience +24 She watched the yellow eyes vanish as the Shadow Assassin melted, but neither dagger fell to the ground with the rest of its gear. ¡°GCK!¡± Penelope reached up to her neck, where both blades were buried. She hit her knees as her vision clouded over. There wasn¡¯t enough time to pull the daggers out, and before she died, she was pinned to the barrier by a Demonic Beetle¡¯s horn, then another. Blinding light washed over her. She redid her last run and tried to swing earlier. Blinding light. Too slow again. Blinding light. Still too slow. Blinding light. Blinding light. Blinding light. Blinding light. Blinding light. Blinding light. Blinding light. At this point, Penelope could start moving before the big man backed into her. She was also getting good at weaving through the crowd and avoiding the pockets of fights that broke out. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Her time was also improving. The wand and were both good at helping her target, but she was to the point that she wasn¡¯t missing with or . Penelope took a deep breath in front of the barrier. ¡°Round¡­ whatever.¡± This time, instead of keeping her arm up and trying to swing around to hit the Demon, she kept her arm down. When she fired the at the Demonic Bat, she pushed the orb behind her and rolled forward. She turned around and pointed her wand. ¡°Light Blast!¡± DING! Experience +24 The Shadow Demon had backed away from the orb but hadn¡¯t been able to get out of the range of her spell. It only took one spell to kill the Shadow Assassin. At this point, her magic was strong enough to annihilate its low magic resistance. ¡°YES!¡± Penelope pumped her arm. ¡°Finally!¡± A horn skewered her. Blinding light. Penelope clenched her jaw as she made her way through the crowd. After so many restarts, she felt like she could do it blind. ¡°An important lesson on the battlefield.¡± Jeru clicked his tongue. ¡°Don¡¯t celebrate until you¡¯re off the battlefield.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Penelope snapped once she was in the Dungeon. She paused and took a deep breath before she started the run. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, that came out¡ª¡± ¡°I can see your thoughts, remember?¡± Jeru tapped his forehead before he vanished. ¡°I know you love me.¡± ¡°You wish.¡± Penelope shook her head. Having a companion was nice. She wouldn¡¯t have been able to hold it together as well or made as much progress as she had without him. ¡°See?" Jeru¡¯s voice filled her mind. ¡°Not so bad for a parasite.¡± ¡°Whatever.¡± Penelope shook her head. Jeru could read her thoughts, so there was no point in arguing when he could see all her cards. This time when she rolled, she didn¡¯t wait to see if the Shadow Assassin died. Penelope pushed off of the stone floor in a dead sprint. DING! Experience +24 The Demonic Beetles grouped together as they turned to follow her. As soon as they were all close enough together, Penelope unleashed her spells. ¡°Light Blast! Light Blast!¡± DING! Experience +6 Experience +6 Experience +6 You are now Level Seven Stats increased: Recovery +1, Magic +1 You have learned: Light Beam New Passives Unlocked! Lone Wolf Mana Leech ¡°Why did I get new passives?¡± Penelope opened the menu and scrolled down to look at what the new skills did.
Spells Light Pulse (Mana Cost: 3): Fires a fist-sized projectile of Light Magic. Weak Tier 0 damage. Light Arc (Mana Cost: 3): Fires a thin tendril of charged Light Magic. Minor Tier 0 damage. Light Ball (Mana Cost: 3): Create a powerful ball of Light Magic that can be thrown. Low Tier 0 damage. Light Bolt (Mana Cost: 3): Fires a powerful bolt of Light Magic with minor seeking. Basic Tier 0 damage. Light Orb (Mana Cost: 3): Releases a slow-moving ball of Light Magic that seeks the closest target. Explodes on contact. Moderate Tier 0 damage. Light Blast (Mana Cost: 3): Releases a blast of Light Magic in a cone. Average T0 Damage. Light Beam (Mana Cost: 3): Channels a beam of Light Magic. Consumes mana while being channeled. Medium Tier 0 damage.
Passives Light Affinity: Increase Light based damage by 40% Doublecast: Casts a copy of a spell alongside the original that does 50% damage. Spells cost ? more mana. Lone Wolf: When there are more enemies than allies within 10m, enemies in melee range have a harder time hitting you. Mana Leech: When your spells damage an enemy, allies within 10m have some of their mana restored.
Inventory Weak Healing Potion 5x Weak Mana Potion 3x
¡°Your Recovery reached ten.¡± Penelope sighed. ¡°I know that, but why did it give me passives this time and not a new class?¡± ¡°Your class is tied to your stats. Since your two highest stats are Magic and Speed, your class reflects that.¡± Jeru appeared in front of her. ¡°If your Recovery gets higher than your Speed then all three of your passives will change because there won¡¯t be that ratio anymore.¡± ¡°What about when they¡¯re even?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t change until after it¡¯s unbalanced.¡± The blue Elf shook his head. ¡°And once you Tier up, you won¡¯t learn anymore Tier Zero passives.¡± ¡°So there¡¯s no way to trade out the useless ones?¡± Penelope tapped her finger through on the screen. ¡°It gets better as you level.¡± Jeru raised an eyebrow. ¡°You know you¡¯re going to have to join a party at some point.¡± ¡°Maybe on one of the other play-throughs.¡± She waved him off as she closed the menu. She walked over to the pile of loot and picked up the ring and slid it on her left hand.
Venom Ring Speed +1 5% chance to poison enemies on hits.
"Well, at least there¡¯s Speed.¡± She looked at the squares on the east and west sides. ¡°I¡¯m not going to get any experience. Jeru, which one has the best loot?¡± The blue Elf motioned at 2E. ¡°You¡¯re kidding.¡± Penelope shook her head. ¡°His pants give a recovery and five percent resistance to poison.¡± Jeru shrugged. ¡°2A and D don¡¯t give anything that you can wear.¡± Penelope took a deep breath and started moving the rest of the loot to her stash. Once she had it piled up, she headed towards 2A. ¡°You¡¯re not going to get the pants?¡± Jeru teased. ¡°How much is that point of recovery going to help?¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you¡­¡± The blue Elf glared at her. ¡°You haven¡¯t figured out the formula yet.¡± He sighed. ¡°Fine, your mana will fully recharge about a minute and a half faster.¡± Penelope nodded. ¡°Three more minutes won¡¯t make much of a difference.¡± She looked at the Shadow Warrior. ¡°I¡¯m going to start at the top.¡± Chapter 19 - The Second Half The fight went the same way. The Demonic Beetles started to charge the moment that she was all the way through the barrier. ¡°Light Orb!¡± The globe of light moved forward, forcing the charging insects to arc their trajectory. ¡°Light Bolt! Light Bolt!¡± Penelope began moving to her before one of the Demonic Beetles on that side died. ¡°Light Blast!¡± The bat¡¯s body flew over her shoulder. ¡°Light Blast! Light Blast!¡± She blew a stray strand of red hair out of her face. ROAR! The Shadow Warrior started running at her, but it was too far away to be a threat. ¡°Let¡¯s see what this does. Light Beam!¡± DING! Experience +12 The Demon¡¯s head vanished as the beam shot out of the tip of the wand. The beam kept firing until Penelope made a mental push for it to stop. ¡°Well, that was too easy compared to the last time.¡± She walked over to claim the loot. She added the potions to the correct pockets, then carried her growing pile over to the northwest corner of 2A. Once that was moved, she turned her attention to 2D. Ula¡¯s group was in 2J. It was too far away for her to tell any more than that. By the time Penelope made it to the barrier between 2C and 2D, the other group had started the next room. Her mana was full, so she stepped into the next square. ¡°Light Beam!¡± Penelope swept the beam of light over the beetles, moving on to the next one the moment that one died. Without the experience notification, it took her a second to realize that she¡¯d killed the monster, but she was able to cut the three Demonic Beetles down before they got close to her. Penelope shut off the beam since the Shadow Knight and Demonic Bats were staying out of her reach. She checked her mana. ¡°Half of it gone.¡± She clicked her tongue. ¡°That¡¯s more expensive than doing it the other way, but a lot faster.¡± The Demon was approaching her with its shield raised, drawing her attention back to the fight. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± The light washed over the shield. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± The double attack had been burning through the Demons defenses enough to kill them, but the Shadow Knight was still advancing. The metal shield was large enough that the only part of the Demon that she could see were the feet. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± The streak of light shot between the Demon¡¯s legs, leaving a scorch mark the size of a crayon behind. ¡°You¡¯re not going to make this easy, are you?¡± Penelope stuck her wand in a loop on the robe¡¯s belt. ¡°Light Orb!¡± Penelope palmed the basketball-sized bundle of light magic in her right hand and ran at the Shadow Knight. Ten feet away, the scratch of claws against stone let her know the Demonic Bats had pushed off their perch. ¡°Light Blast!¡± She fired the spell overhead with her left hand and threw herself to the right, throwing the orb at the exposed left foot while the Demon swung its sword at the place where she had been. The bundle of light magic detonated, hissing against the metal boot. ROAR! Penelope was up on her feet as the Shadow Knight dropped to its left knee. The Demon rested on the back of the shield as it tried to rotate to face her. She ran in an arc around the monster. The Shadow Knight tried to keep up, but it couldn¡¯t rotate to the right as fast as she could run. It took her two full rotations, but on the third one there was enough space to get a spell through.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Light Beam!¡± DING! Experience +12 Penelope was breathing hard as she stopped, but not out of breath. ¡°Jeru.¡± She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. ¡°Tell me there is a better way to kill those things.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a better way to kill those things.¡± The blue Elf grinned as he appeared, undeterred by the glare on her face. ¡°Is there a better way for me to kill those things that I can do or learn?¡± Jeru shrugged. ¡°Fight with a party?¡± She glanced to the east, then turned back to the Elf. ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°You have to learn control spells.¡± He thought for a moment. ¡°Cirdor Pengall knows enough to teach you some, but he¡¯s back at the pathmaker school in town.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± Jeru raised an eyebrow. ¡°What about me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re some kind of all-powerful time mage.¡± She folded her arms. ¡°And you¡¯ve probably seen every type of magic that is given here. So why can¡¯t you teach me like some ghost mentor? ¡°Almost every statement in that is wrong.¡± He sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not a ghost, but I¡¯m not going to get into the magic of what I am. I¡¯m also not a mentor.¡± He motioned in the air. ¡°I doubt anyone could ever see all the magic that¡¯s possible in this system¡­¡± His voice trailed off. ¡°Actually, there¡¯s one guy who probably knows about all the secret types, but I wouldn¡¯t recommend talking to him.¡± Jeru eyed her. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯d have his full attention.¡± He waved his hands in front of him. ¡°No, he¡¯s not here, so there¡¯s no point in asking who he is.¡± ¡°And!¡± The blue Elf pointed his finger at her before she could speak. ¡°I¡¯m not ¡®some kind of all-powerful time mage¡¯.¡± Sorrow crossed over his face. ¡°Do you have any idea how many of my friends died so that I¡¯d have enough magic for this trip?¡± Penelope shook her head. ¡°All of them.¡± He motioned around them. ¡°The magic that made all of this possible? I couldn¡¯t use a quarter of that in my time.¡± His voice quieted. ¡°And I had ten times that when I started.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Penelope realized what he meant by that and couldn''t find the words to console him. She tried to put a hand on his shoulder, but her fingers went right through him. ¡°It¡¯s fine. We just have to fix this, and then none of it will have ever happened.¡± Jeru forced a smile. ¡°So no, none of the opinions you have about me are correct. So if you¡¯re done, I¡¯m going to go.¡± He vanished before she could say anything. Not that he needed to be present for her to talk to him. He was always in her head. Penelope sighed and gathered up the items, but instead of taking them back to her stash, she carried them to the northern corner between 2D and 2E. It was almost half a mile to get back to her stash, and she wasn¡¯t looking forward to the ten minutes that running back and forth would take. Not when she could just clear her way back up to it. She rubbed her wet hands together as she checked her mana. It was over half full, which was more than enough to finish the square. Before she could think about what had happened so many times inside, she stepped through the barrier. This square had the most Demonic Bats that she¡¯d seen. There were three of them and two Demonic Beetles. The Shadow Caster was weaving its hands, casting a red glow over the Demonic Beetles. They moved faster than the others as they charged, but faster didn¡¯t mean anything when her spells killed them faster. ¡°Light Beam!¡± Penelope pointed the end of her wand at the closest table-sized monster. As soon as it went down, she turned her focus to the other one. She needed a lone hop to get out of the way of the crashing monsters. A pit formed in her stomach as Penelope charged the remaining monsters. Sweat flowed out of every pore as her stomach threatened to revolt. It might have been able to if she¡¯d eaten anything. ¡°Light Beam!¡± She aimed for the Shadow Caster¡¯s head. Penelope had to grab the wand with both hands to steady it as the spell ate through her mana. Penelope swung the wand around like a sword when the Demonic Bats swooped down, slicing them apart with the beam of white light. She turned her attention back to the leader as soon as the third flier dropped. ¡°Come on!¡± Penelope gritted her teeth, and then the headache started. She dismissed the spell as she fell down on her hands and knees. The Demon started cackling as it pulled a dagger out of its robe and walked towards her. ¡°Not today.¡± The paler woman jabbed her hand in her right pocket and pulled out a Mana Potion. The Shadow Caster started running as she sat down and pulled the top off, then downed the metallic-tasting liquid. The headache vanished faster than any pain reliever back home could work. She got her left arm in front of the dagger, the blade going between the bones of her forearm. Penelope staggered as she got to her feet, but after grappling for a second with the Demon, she was able to grab it by the throat. ¡°Light-¡± The Shadow Caster slammed its forehead against hers. ¡°-BEAM!¡± She refused to let her spell get interrupted. Light began to burn out of her right palm, melting through the red throat. Nails clawed at her face as it tried to get past the flailing left arm that she was waving to ward them off. The struggles got weaker as it rammed her again. DING! Experience +12 Penelope canceled the spell, which hadn¡¯t cut all the way through. She let the body fall to the side, then fell back herself. The nausea began to ebb as she laid on her back. She allowed herself a few moments to rest. She¡¯d cleared her half. Chapter 20 - You’re Different She pulled the dagger out of her arm. Penelope ignored the blood as she fished in her left pocket with her right hand for a Health Potion. The fingers on her left hand were numb, which forced her to use her teeth to open the vial, but once the spicy liquid was inside her, she started feeling better. ¡°Drink a water too.¡± Penelope started to argue but dug around in the fallen robe until she found the potion sling and pulled the Infernal Water off and drank it. ¡°Why did I do that?¡± Penelope wiped her face with the arm of the Shadow Caster¡¯s robe. ¡°Healing Potions force rapid healing. You really should eat something too, but your body can deal with some loss in mass. It can¡¯t deal with dehydration, which is what a Health Potion can do after it fixes a wound that severe.¡± Jeru began looking her over. ¡°Deal with... Are you calling me fat?¡± Penelope raised an eyebrow. ¡°Not even for an Elf.¡± He didn¡¯t miss a beat with his reply as he continued to inspect the damage done to her. ¡°Nice save.¡± Penelope kept wiping herself off. ¡°What?¡± Confusion spread across Jeru¡¯s face as he stopped to look her in the eye. She turned away before their eyes could meet and turned it into shaking her head. ¡°Nothing.¡± She picked up the pants.
Red Shadow Pants Recovery +1 Poison Resistance +5%
¡°I can¡¯t put these on over my jeans, can I?¡± ¡°Dungeon rules.¡± The blue Elf shrugged. ¡°You don¡¯t have to wear them if you don¡¯t want the stats, but...¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Ula¡¯s group was over a thousand feet away, and she had on a robe. It took Penelope less than a minute to shuck her jeans and pull on the light fabric. She folded her clothes and brought the extra robe and belt over to her second stash. ¡°I¡¯m under half mana still, so since it¡¯s going to take a little bit before my mana is back.¡± Penelope nodded at the monsters in 3E. ¡°Can you tell me about those?¡± Jeru sighed. ¡°I told you, I¡¯m not a walking bestiary.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re a floating one.¡± She grinned at his reaction. ¡°Ha ha, very funny.¡± He crossed his arms. ¡°But since we have time and you¡¯re not going to eat..." Jeru turned to the square. ¡°Grasshoppers are fast but fragile and don¡¯t hit hard. Protect your neck, and they won¡¯t be an issue. The Caster has water spells that will lower your Magic if they hit you, so don¡¯t get hit.¡± He craned his neck. ¡°The hidden monster for that column is a Demonic Mole. They¡¯re not as armored as the Demonic Beetles, but their hide is almost as tough, so move as soon as you feel the ground tremble.¡± ¡°See?¡± She shook her head. ¡°If you had started giving me those summaries in the beginning, I wouldn¡¯t have died so much.¡± ¡°If I had given you those summaries in the beginning, then you wouldn¡¯t be thinking about them on the deeper floors where there are more monsters with a wider range of attacks at their disposal. Resetting here doesn¡¯t lose you as much time as it will there.¡± ¡°Wait¡­¡± Penelope groaned. ¡°Am I going to have to redo this entire floor when I die on the second one?¡± ¡°You can.¡± Jeru waffled his head. ¡°But I can create an anchor for you after you kill a Higher Demon.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°Sometimes they have minions that can summon them, but most of the ones you¡¯ll run into are what you¡¯d call a floor boss.¡± The blue Elf pointed to the north. ¡°So you¡¯re saying that once I clear a floor, I can create a save?¡± Penelope tapped her cheek. ¡°And I can start at whatever save I want¡ª¡± ¡°You can only have one anchor.¡± Jeru interrupted. ¡°But you can revert to the beginning any time you want.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Penelope glared at the blue Elf. ¡°Are you telling me that you can reset things at any time?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Jeru sighed. ¡°So yes, I could have reset things before you died, but if I always did that, then you would stop trying to find a solution¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± She didn¡¯t think it was fine, but she understood the logic. ¡°I heard that you know.¡± Penelope rolled her eyes. ¡°Having you as a passenger in my head isn¡¯t very fun.¡± ¡°Imagine how I feel.¡± He knocked on the side of his head. ¡°It¡¯s always been there.¡± She chuckled at the bad joke. ¡°What was it like?¡± Jeru raised an eyebrow. ¡°What was what?¡± ¡°Growing up somewhere else.¡± She sat down and tucked her legs to her side in an M. ¡°Nope. Not doing that.¡± He waved his hand. ¡°Memory Lane isn¡¯t a trip I¡¯m going to take with someone who can walk away.¡± The blue Elf turned around. ¡°Think of something else to use as your attempt at bonding.¡± ¡°I was¡­¡± Penelope had just been trying to keep the conversation going. There was time and while she was okay with silence, silence with someone else there without some project to focus on was unsettling. She shook her head. ¡°You heard all of that.¡± ¡°I did¡­¡± He turned back around to look at her. ¡°He said you were different, but after forty-one minds, I thought I¡¯d seen how everyone worked. Yours¡­¡± Jeru shrugged. ¡°Is different.¡± ¡°Okay-y¡­¡± ¡°When the rest of them space out, they¡¯re doing just that. But you¡­¡± He floated over and reached out to touch the side of her face. Penelope flinched away. ¡°Sorry. I forgot.¡± He shook his head as he backed away. ¡°Anyway. Your mind starts accelerating when you¡¯re closed off from the world.¡± He snorted. ¡°Reminds me of my dad.¡± ¡°I remind you of your dad?¡± Penelope shook her head. ¡°I thought I was bad at flirting.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not¡­¡± Jeru sighed. ¡°At this point, I¡¯m almost two thousand. You¡¯re like a baby.¡± He floated away from her. ¡°What would be the point of flirting when I¡¯m a ghost anyway?¡± ¡°I thought you said you weren¡¯t a ghost.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°Then¡ª¡± Jeru held up his hand. ¡°A ghost is the remains of a person whose soul doesn¡¯t fully cross over. I¡¯m still alive. And a ghost is able to interact with the real world. I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°You¡¯re alive?¡± Disbelief wasn¡¯t masked within the question. ¡°I already told you that I wasn¡¯t getting into the complexities of what I¡¯ve done.¡± Jeru pointed at her chest. ¡°Think of me as trapped within that card until you kill the ArchDemon leading this attack.¡± Penelope touched her chest, then looked up. ¡°Wait, how are you able to touch me then?¡± ¡°I¡¯m inside you.¡± The blue Elf shrugged. ¡°I just make your mind think that you¡¯ve been touched there.¡± He wiggled his fingers. ¡°After a few hundred years, you start getting good at the timing.¡± Penelope felt a pressure like someone had just booped her nose. ¡°Hey!¡± She covered her face. ¡°See? It¡¯s one of the perks of being inside..." He shook his head. ¡°You get the idea. But that¡¯s how I also know that you¡¯re going to have to eat sooner than it¡¯s going to take you to get to the frogs.¡± ¡°What if I gut my way there?¡± Penelope pointed north. ¡°That would be three rooms.¡± Jeru looked in the direction that she pointed and thought for a minute. ¡°There¡¯s no way that you¡¯re going to clear that in one run.¡± He turned back to her. ¡°If you really won¡¯t cook one of the bugs, then I can reset and you can try this fight again.¡± ¡°What if you told me what to expect?¡± The blue Elf shook his head. ¡°Telling you that the fourth row has Demonic Crows and Centipedes and that the fifth row is Demonic Frogs and Spiders isn¡¯t going to help. You can see those from here. Just like you can see the Shadows from here too, but that doesn¡¯t mean that you¡¯re ready to deal with the Shadows and¡­¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Penelope stood up and looked at the squares that she could see. ¡°Row C looks like all Casters.¡± Jeru coughed into his hand. Penelope crossed her arms in front of her. ¡°I¡¯m guessing there¡¯s a problem with that?¡± After looking at her for long enough to make her uncomfortable, the blue Elf went into teacher mode. ¡°There are three different types of Casters. The Recovery based ones like this one are going to be the hardest for you to fight.¡± ¡°Which row would be the easiest for me to do then?¡± Jeru shook his head. ¡°D.¡± Penelope looked at the Shadow Demon in 3D. It held a giant mace that would take both her hands to lift. Its chest was bare except for the leather straps that crisscrossed to connect the shoulder pads to its belt. A yellow energy pulsed in the center of its chest, matching the yellow eyes that were fixated on her. ¡°Jeru, I¡¯m¡ª¡± When Penelope turned back, the Elf was gone. While she knew that he could still hear her and was listening to her thoughts, she decided to give him the privacy that he seemed to be asking for. ¡°Well¡­¡± She checked her mana. It read 60/62. ¡°Close enough.¡± By the time she got to the middle of 3D, it¡¯d be full. ¡°Let¡¯s go do what can¡¯t be done.¡± Chapter 21 - Harvesting Materials The floor began to tremble as soon as she walked in. There was a lone Demonic Grasshopper, which let Penelope know exactly how many Demonic Moles were underneath her. She started running towards the Demon and bug. Her fist clamped tight on her wand as she kept her eyes focused on the pair in front of her. The Demonic Grasshopper sprung across the distance at her. ¡°Light Blast!¡± Penelope flicked the wand in front of her and juked to the left. DING! Experience +6 The body of the giant bug rolled past her. Penelope ignored the squishing noise so she could focus on the foe in front of her. The Shadow Warrior had the war hammer pulled back and swung, but she was just getting to her range of a hundred feet. Instead of a skill going off, the Demon let out a bellow and released the weapon. Penelope tried to jump over the twirling projectile, but her right foot got clipped. She landed on her left foot, but with her forward momentum, she had to tuck into a roll because her right ankle was bending sideways. ¡°OW!!!¡± She pushed the sharp pain out of her mind the best she could and turned to point the wand at the Shadow Warrior. Except she realized that the Demonic Moles were on her. The dog-sized monsters had smaller mouths than a dog, but that didn¡¯t make the teeth hurt any less when the first one clamped onto her left forearm. She pushed away from it with her good foot as she stabbed the tip of the wand in its eye. ¡°Light Blast!¡± DING! Experience +6 The weight of the monster fell on her, then was compounded as two more were on top of it. The dead monster provided some insulation from the claws of the Demonic Moles. One of them slashed her down the right side of her face while she was pulling her wand out of the dead one¡¯s skull. ¡°AHHH!!!¡± The fourth one clamped down on her broken ankle and started pulling. ¡°Light Blast! Light Blast!¡± DING! Experience +6 Experience +6 Experience +6 Skrrrrrt!!! Penelope looked around the pile of monsters that were on her to the south. The Shadow Warrior had run around her and retrieved its weapon. A Cheshire grin split its face as it dragged the head of the war hammer against the stone. ¡°You think you¡¯ve won!¡± Penelope pointed her wand at it. ¡°Ligh¡ª¡± WHAM! The wooden weapon clanked against the stone behind her as the war hammer knocked her hand back. Her right hand throbbed; breathing was getting difficult, and she couldn¡¯t feel her right leg. The Demon was walking towards her like it had all the time in the world. Penelope gritted her teeth and pointed her left palm at it. ¡°LIGHT BEAM!¡± The beam clipped it as it tried to run behind her. The beam followed it, eating into her mana as it bit into the Demon. DING! Experience +24 CLANG!If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. THUD Penelope¡¯s heart thundered in her ears. The temptation to just lay there for a moment was overwhelming, but she needed to heal or she was going to reset. ¡°Jer¡­¡± She shoved her left hand under the mole pile and rooted around in her pocket for a potion. ¡°You want me to reset it?¡± The blue Elf sat on top of the pile while looking down at her. Jeru might not weigh anything or be able to interact with anything physical, but it felt like his weight was getting added on top of her. ¡°N-n-o.¡± Penelope began to tremble as she dug for the potion. ¡°W-w-i-i¡­¡± She gritted her teeth and focused on the words in her mind. Will it heal wrong if I take a potion and don¡¯t set it? The man on top of her shook his head. ¡°As long as it¡¯s still attached and there¡¯s nothing in the wound, no.¡± She got one of the vials between her index and middle fingers and pulled it out. Penelope had to bite on the lip to hold it so she could open the vial, then she poured the spicy liquid into her mouth. ¡°You probably don¡¯t want to hear this, but if you use another healing potion before you eat some protein and drink a bunch, you¡¯re going to make yourself really sick.¡± Jeru hopped off of the pile and squatted next to her. Penelope craned her neck and looked at the next room the best she could. There weren¡¯t hidden monsters in the next two squares like there were here, but she might as well not have any more Healing Potions if taking one was going to make her too sick to continue. Penelope pushed against the weight on top of her as she struggled to get free. ¡°I thought you¡¯d see reason.¡± Jeru patted one of the moles. ¡°Trust me, these things don¡¯t taste that bad.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Penelope stopped struggling as her foot began itching. ¡°AHH!!!¡± The sensation of a sleeping leg waking up was multiplied by ten as she was able to feel her foot again. Penelope squeezed her eyes as tight as she could and bit into the hood of the robe until the sensation passed. ¡°Yeah, that takes some getting used to.¡± The blue Elf shook his head. ¡°University mixes in something to provide some euphoria for as long as it takes to heal.¡± He sighed. ¡°But Demons are masochists as much as they are sadists.¡± Jeru clicked his tongue. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t surprise me if they put something in there to make it hurt more while it healed.¡± ¡°Not! Helping!¡± Penelope opened her eyes to glare at him. ¡°Okay.¡± He held up his hands. ¡°But you don¡¯t want me to disappear either.¡± ¡°Since when has that stopped you?¡± Penelope strained to pull out from under the pile. She was getting stronger as the potion made its way through her system, refreshing her a little. Once she was free, Penelope took a moment to catch her breath, then walked over to the loot pile, put the Shadow Essence into the empty vial, and looted the potions. She left the gear where it was and went to go get her second stash. She hovered her menu over the gear to see how good the rare piece was. For this Demon, it was the war hammer.
Earthen War Hammer Power +2 Earth Damage +8% Stone¡¯s Throw: Throws the War Hammer to deal 200% Earth Damage.
Her muscles revolted at the idea of carting metal gear back, so she just grabbed the cloth gear, slung the longer shield strap over her head, and grabbed the copper dagger. Once she got back, she dropped the cloth items and vials off next to the leather gear to make a third loot pile. She laid the shield down face side up, then pulled one of the bodies off of the pile and sat down next to it. Penelope looked down at the dagger in her hand. ¡°Jeru, since this is your idea¡­¡± The blue Elf sighed. ¡°Fine, since you don¡¯t know how to do it, I¡¯ll help you.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Not that it¡¯s hard.¡± ¡°You say that, but I¡¯ve never done anything more than cut up chicken parts from the store.¡± She let the dagger lay loose in her palm. ¡°It¡¯s basically like that.¡± He grinned. ¡°Just tougher meat and a lot bigger.¡± Jeru nodded at her hand. ¡°Ideally you¡¯d be able to hang it up and let the blood drain out of it, but since we¡¯re pressed for time¡­¡± ¡°And we don¡¯t have anything to hang it on.¡± ¡°That too.¡± The blue Elf knelt beside her. ¡°Now, let¡¯s see if we can¡¯t do this while making the least mess you can.¡± He pointed at the shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s wasteful, but most of this will spoil before you can get someone down here to harvest the materials. Now¡ª¡± ¡°Wait, what do you mean, ¡®harvest the materials¡¯?¡± Penelope looked around at the squares she¡¯d cleared. ¡°You mean for meat?¡± ¡°Meat, bones, fangs, claws, scales, hide.¡± Jeru bobbed his head. ¡°There¡¯s even some mana crystals in some of these things that could be taken out if you were skilled enough, but that takes a while, and you don¡¯t have the right tools.¡± ¡°What do they do with them?¡± ¡°Weapons, armor, feeding people since the city has been cut off from the outside world.¡± He motioned down. ¡°The floors keep getting bigger the farther down you go. Not to mention the resources that can be harvested off the floors themselves.¡± He looked around. ¡°Well, not this floor, unless you like dust. I guess you could cut out the stone floor, but that¡¯d take¡ª¡± ¡°Jeru.¡± Penelope closed her eyes as she tried to process the implications of what he was saying. ¡°So does that mean that there will be people coming into the Dungeon just to harvest the monsters that we kill?¡± ¡°Eventually.¡± He waffled his head. ¡°When the city leaders figure out that the portal is a one-way trip until the floor is cleared, they start sending craftsmen and tools with the fighters. Though that¡¯s not until the fourth floor.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Jeru shook his head. ¡°You can worry about it when you get there. For now, you need to worry about lunch.¡± He pointed at the shoulder again. ¡°Now what you want to do¡­¡± Chapter 22 - Do I Have to Eat That??? It took her almost half an hour to skin and trim the four legs. They still had the bone inside them. Penelope had tried to debone one of them, and it looked like the start of a hamburger in its place on the shield. The good news about how long it took her was that her mana was filled back up. The bad news was that the timer had ticked down, and she hadn¡¯t even started cooking. Penelope glanced at her menu.
Dungeon Floor 1
Time Remaining: 3:19:43:39
Ula¡¯s group was in 2G, and they were almost halfway through with it. They weren¡¯t able to use a single Mana Potion to clear a square like Penelope was, and they were having to split the experience four ways, which slowed how much stronger they were getting. Plus, they didn¡¯t have the luxury of learning from a mistake. It all boiled down to them taking longer to clear each square even though they had more people. Penelope turned back to her project. 2F was diagonal and down from where she was, and once they cleared it, there wouldn¡¯t be a buffer between them and her. She wanted to be finished with cooking before they had a chance to come over. Food was a great way to attract people, and she would rather not have to find a way to make small talk while she finished cooking. She looked down at the mess that was her handiwork and swallowed. Her hands were dirty, but there wasn¡¯t enough water to spare to wash them. There were advantages to having different elemental affinities, but if she had water, then she wouldn¡¯t be able to cook. ¡°Light Ball.¡± She held the ball of light in her hand, then brought it towards the meat. Nothing happened as she held the spell over the meat. ¡°That¡¯s not going to work.¡± Jeru clicked his tongue and shook his head. Penelope looked at the spell stuck to the palm of her hand. She waved her other hand over it. There was no heat coming off the orb, only light. ¡°It doesn¡¯t give off heat.¡± Penelope dropped the spell onto the shield of meat. The mole flesh sizzled as the orb broke and washed over the makeshift platter. ¡°There is a thin protective layer that the magic is contained in that prevents it from hurting you.¡± Jeru shrugged. ¡°Without the system, you¡¯d have to learn how to contain your spells before you started casting them, or you¡¯d hit yourself before you had a chance to throw it.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± Penelope looked from her hand to the blue Elf. ¡°So were you a teacher before all of this started, or was it something you picked up?¡± ¡°Why do you think I was a teacher?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t help yourself.¡± Penelope rolled her fingers. ¡°You provide answers to questions I have like you¡¯re in lecture mode.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± He shook his head and let out a soft chuckle. ¡°That feels like a lifetime ago.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been in this loop for seventeen hundred years.¡± Penelope pinched her fingers. ¡°Just a little part of your lifetime.¡± ¡°Actually, that¡¯s not too far off. My dad was over two thousand when he died.¡±This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Two¡ª¡± She choked. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize Elves lived that long.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t.¡± Jeru shrugged. ¡°Most only live a few hundred years. A mage might last for seven, eight hundred, but even those are rare.¡± ¡°So your dad is kind of a big deal?¡± The blue Elf shrugged. ¡°He was. Is. Will be.¡± He sighed. ¡°I guess he is still alive at the moment.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Penelope sat down on the floor next to the plate of meat. ¡°It¡¯s not storytime.¡± Jeru shook his head. ¡°We¡¯ll have plenty of time for that some other time.¡± He nodded at the platter of meat on the metal shield. ¡°Have you figured out how you¡¯re going to cook it?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll take too much mana to keep casting Light Ball.¡± Penelope picked up the copper dagger. ¡°But I can use my channeling spell.¡± ¡°Try that.¡± Jeru nodded. ¡°But hold it back. Instead of shooting the beam as far as it¡¯ll go, focus on keeping it only a few feet in front of you.¡± ¡°I can do that?¡± ¡°The system can.¡± The blue Elf nodded. ¡°It¡¯s another one of those shaping problems that you¡¯d have to work on, but here the system will recognize what you¡¯re trying to do. It shouldn¡¯t take too much effort to make the beam smaller so you don¡¯t just burn a hole in your food.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She looked at her hand, then pointed her palm at the shield. ¡°Light Beam.¡± Penelope turned the light coming out of her right hand on the meat. Like a hair dryer or curling iron, when left idle too long, the red meat started turning brown. She used the copper dagger to flip the meat over, then continued browning it. ¡°Only one problem.¡± The blue Elf hovered over the makeshift grill. Penelope brought up her menu and looked at her stats. She had already browned one side of all four pieces and hadn¡¯t even used a quarter of her mana. ¡°My mana is fine.¡± ¡°Yes, but where are you going to put it?¡± Penelope shut off the beam, but that didn¡¯t stop the meat from sizzling on the hot metal. ¡°UGH!¡± She put the dagger down. There wasn¡¯t any more metal gear that she¡¯d brought with her, and putting cooked meat on cloth or leather that had been covering a demon turned her stomach. At least with the metal, she could sterilize it. Penelope took off towards her other stash pile as fast as she could sprint. She grabbed the breastplate there and ran back with the metal plating. Burnt meat was the dominant smell, made worse by the greasy, gamey smell that the mole meat had been giving off. She dropped the breastplate next to the shield and wiped it off with the arm of her robe, then turned the meat over with the dagger. The underside of the mole legs was more black than brown, and she had to grab a second dagger to cut the burnt parts free. As soon as she had rolled the meat over, she cut into the least burnt one, but it had only cooked about an inch deep. Flaying open the meat was a lot easier with it partially cooked. Once she finished her task of slicing down the middle of each piece to the bone, her mana had recovered. Penelope spent the next while cutting the bones out of each large steak until she had sixteen three-inch-thick, foot-long steaks on the shield. The shield had cooled, so while half of them were burnt on one side, the rest were barely browned. ¡°Let¡¯s try this again.¡± Penelope set the four bones to the side and pointed her palm at the shield. ¡°Light Beam.¡± She heated up the breastplate first, so it would be as close to sterile as she could get it once she was done cooking. With that task completed, she turned her attention to the shield of meat. This time, instead of hitting the meat, she focused the beam on the metal, heating it up, then moving a piece of meat onto the hot part while she focused on another section. It didn¡¯t take long until she had heated up the entire thing. At that point, she had stopped casting and was using both daggers to flip the meat to keep it from burning. When she cut into the middle of the steaks and saw that they were brown all the way through, she started flipping them onto the other metal surface. Penelope wiped her forehead with the sleeve of her right arm as she put the daggers down. ¡°Whew.¡± ¡°Uh-hum.¡± She looked up and swallowed as she realized that the other group had gathered in front of her. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose we could talk you into sharing?¡± Ula Ramirez smiled wide. The three men behind her were all staring down at the woman sitting on the ground. Their faces were a mix of emotions that Penelope couldn¡¯t take in all at once. Her heart sped up as Ula¡¯s smile drew her attention away from the men. The tanned grandmother figure¡¯s voice was calming. ¡°You¡¯ve already helped us out, but would you be willing to let us buy some of those off you?¡± Chapter 23 - The Job System Penelope suppressed a shiver. ¡°Buy some off her?¡± The other Caster glared at her. ¡°She¡¯s cheating somehow.¡± He motioned to 2E. ¡°How else could she clear a room by herself that a whole group couldn¡¯t?¡± Dawson glared at her. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t have to pay her when we¡¯re all trying to clear this nightmare.¡± ¡°Daw.¡± Ula¡¯s warm tone turned firm as she looked at the young man. ¡°Hush.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have much that would be useful to you.¡± The gray-haired man dug into his pocket and pulled out a red vial. ¡°Maybe a Health Potion?¡± ¡°Marlow! You can¡¯t give her those!¡± Dawson motioned from their group to the ginger. ¡°There¡¯s four of us and one of her, I say¡ª¡± ¡°If I hear one more word out of you, the only thing that there will be four of is my fingers where the sun don¡¯t shine.¡± The grandmother¡¯s sweet voice left no question how real the threat was. The twenty-two-year-old man looked at the other two men for support, but neither of them showed any indication that they were going to go against Ula. ¡°Fine!¡± Dawson threw up his hands. ¡°Do whatever you want!¡± He stormed away from the group. ¡°He¡¯s cranky.¡± Ula kneeled down in front of Penelope and pulled out a red and a blue potion. ¡°How about one of each?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Penelope didn¡¯t know what to say. She had plenty of potions, and with four of them at lower levels, they needed all the extra help they could get. ¡°How about we butcher one of the moles and you take the potions to cook them for us?¡± The graying woman shook her head. ¡°Dawson has poison magic, Marlow can only heal, and Patrick and I don¡¯t have any magic.¡± Her kind smile warmed the atmosphere. ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you¡¯d consider it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Penelope motioned at the steaks. ¡°I cooked too much anyway. I just thought it¡¯d be a waste to heat up the shield for just one.¡± She looked the group over. Patrick was wearing the metal gear from 1D that she¡¯d left for him, but had acquired a short sword and large shield in one of the rooms to finish out his gear. Ula was in metal gear that they had found, and a red battle axe was strapped to her back. Marlow was in leather gear and had a bow despite being their party¡¯s Healer, while Dawson was wearing a robe like the one Penelope had on. She had been about to offer them some of her gear, but there was only one item that she had that wasn¡¯t something common. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a sweetie!¡± Ula patted the girl¡¯s leg. ¡°I could help you butcher one of them so you¡¯d have some meat for later if you¡¯re wanting to take a longer break.¡± The older woman motioned at the cut-up mole. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Penelope looked at the timer.
Dungeon Floor 1
Time Remaining: 3:19:10:19
There were seventy-eight more rooms to clear and ninety-one hours to do it. That would be plenty of time for her to finish the floor, even including time to sleep. But working with Ula would mean being around the group longer. ¡°You should do it.¡± Jeru¡¯s voice made her jump. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s okay, Sweetie. Daw is just cranky because he¡¯s hungry.¡± Ula smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure he has his nice face on.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Penelope used her trick of looking at the person¡¯s cheek just below the eye. Most people would take not being looked in the eye as either disrespectful or that she was lying. It had taken her half her life to know where to look so that she didn¡¯t have to break the gaze a few seconds in and be thought of as dishonest. ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. She pointed at the warhammer over at her stash. ¡°That¡¯s a really good weapon, if you can use it.¡± ¡°My weapon gives me plus one to Power and increased fire damage, though I don¡¯t have a fire skill.¡± Ula used one of the daggers to pick up a steak. ¡°How good is it?¡± ¡°It gives one Power, does more Earth damage, and gives an Earth attack.¡± Penelope motioned at herself. ¡°I can¡¯t use it, and I can¡¯t take it out of the Dungeon to sell it. If it will help you, take it.¡± "You¡¯re so sweet.¡± The grandmother smiled at her as she held the steak out for the men to take. ¡°Hey!¡± She slapped Dawson¡¯s hand as he reached for the dagger¡¯s handle. ¡°How am I supposed to eat it?¡± The young man stomped. ¡°Like jerky.¡± Patrick took the meat off the dagger and smiled at Penelope. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Yes. Thank. You.¡± Marlow emphasized the words while looking at Dawson. The older man took the meat that Ula offered him, then nodded towards the women. ¡°You need to thank her unless you want to go eat some raw.¡± Dawson looked like he was about to argue, but Ula cleared her throat and shook her head. ¡°Thank you for cooking the meat so we could eat it with our hands.¡± The brown-haired young man took a steak and glared at the Healer. ¡°Happy?¡± ¡°Ecstatic.¡± Marlow grinned, then took a bite out of the tough meat. ¡°Ugh! It¡¯s burnt! Why is it¡­¡± Dawson let the rest of the sentence die as his eyes met Ula¡¯s. He grumbled under his breath and trudged off to the other side of the square. ¡°He¡¯s a good kid.¡± Ula shook her head. ¡°Just needs a heavy hand sometimes.¡± ¡°If he¡¯s a good kid, then I don¡¯t want to meet the one you think is a bad one.¡± Patrick chuckled and took a second steak off the shield. Marlow said something back, but Penelope wasn¡¯t listening. She was focused on chewing the tough, oily meat. She was also trying to have a conversation with Jeru in her head. Why did you want Ula to teach me how to butcher the moles? ¡°Look at your menu.¡± Jeru didn¡¯t offer any extra advice, and his voice made it clear that this was an area that he wanted her to figure out on her own. Penelope pulled up her menu and saw that there was a new tab labeled .
Jobs
Skinning - Level 1 - 4/100
Butchering - Level 1 - 7/100
Cooking - Level 1 - 12/100
What type of bonuses do those give? Penelope looked over at the four dead moles. There weren''t enough of them to level her in skinning, but if she cut up and cooked them all, she could level both and . ¡°It¡¯ll make the jobs easier to do, and once you reach level ten, you¡¯ll get a stat point.¡± That was helpful, but Penelope tried to weigh how much time it would take to level each one to ten. As well as how many monsters she¡¯d have to cut apart. ¡°Jobs are knowledge and experience.¡± Jeru cleared his throat to keep her from interrupting him. ¡°Not like the experience you get from killing monsters. This is actual experience that stays with you. Take Ula, for example. She has dressed many animals in her lifetime and cooked many meals. The system has given her levels in , , and for that. She also has levels in , , and . If you knew how to do more than pour milk in a bowl, you might get some points in something else too.¡± Penelope tried not to take it as an insult. She could do math and logistics all day long, but the practical skills were things that she¡¯d never been introduced to because she lived in the city. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. Just learn all you can. I promise, you¡¯ll thank me.¡± She hated that the Elf was cryptic, but she felt the least awkward around the older woman. Ula poked her arm. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°AH!¡± Penelope flinched away and blinked to bring herself out of the inner conversation. ¡°I asked if you were okay.¡± The grandmother smiled. ¡°You poor thing. You don¡¯t have to be doing this all by yourself. We can take another person into our group.¡± ¡°I-I-I¡­¡± She tried to think of a good way to say, ¡®I prefer being by myself¡¯. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Sweetie.¡± Ula smiled wider. ¡°There will be a place with us for you as long as we have room.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Penelope tried to smile, but her face never displayed the expression correctly. ¡°Now, how about we start cutting up these monsters?¡± Ula clapped her hands. ¡°Come on, boys! Time to earn your lunch!¡± Chapter 24 - I Can Cook Penelope cooked more than she did anything else. Since she was the only one who could produce heat while the others could cut up the monsters, she had been put on grill duty. Dawson had refused to help, leaving the square while they worked. Marlow carried the meat to her, stacking it on the large skin of one of the Demonic Moles. The fur had been turned towards the floor, but there was still the occasional hair that Penelope had to flick off with the dagger she was using to flip the steaks. With the others dressing the meat, she was able to focus on only cooking, which allowed her to cook the meat faster. She was also getting better at regulating her mana with the beam spell to keep the metal warm enough to cook the meat fast, but not so fast that it cooked unevenly or burned. An hour passed and then two. Penelope ran out of mana and took a mana potion so that she wouldn¡¯t have to stop. Five hours later, they were finished with most of the meat that they¡¯d salvaged getting cooked. ¡°I think this shield is cooked.¡± Patrick chuckled at his joke. He¡¯s right about that. Penelope couldn¡¯t bring herself to use her outside voice. While she had been trying to keep the heat low enough that she didn¡¯t burn a hole in it, the constant application of heat had started to warp the dented piece of gear. She looked at her menu to see how much it had gone up.
Jobs
Skinning - Level 1 - 4/100
Butchering - Level 1 - 9/100
Cooking - Level 2 - 109/200 For the Carnivore. Meat you cook can have additional effects.
Penelope swept her menu over the pile of meat. Everything on the bottom of the stack was named ¡®Well-Done Mole Meat¡¯, ¡®Medium Mole Meat¡¯, or something else like that. The ten pieces on top all had similar names, but with a * after the name. There were four different effects: increased natural healing, Power, Defense, and Recovery. Each effect lasted from an hour up to four, but there didn¡¯t seem to be a pattern to how the time limit was distributed. ¡°Well.¡± Ula wiped her forehead with the cut-up robe that they had been using as a rag. ¡°That took longer than I expected.¡± The grandmother nodded at the stack of meat. ¡°But we shouldn¡¯t have to cook anything else until the timer runs out.¡± ¡°The latest stuff I cooked has bonuses.¡± Penelope pointed at the pieces of steak that she¡¯d been stacking to the side. ¡°Trying to steal from us?¡± Dawson glared at the other person his age. ¡°Daw, go find somewhere else to be.¡± Ula rubbed her neck. ¡°I doubt you want anyone to see me bend you over my knee.¡± ¡°You¡­!¡± The man¡¯s face paled. ¡°You can¡¯t do that! There are laws!¡± Ula raised her eyebrows. ¡°Sweetie. You are on a different planet in an underground Dungeon surrounded by Demons. What law are you talking about?¡± ¡°The¡­¡± He looked at the two older men, but both of them found somewhere else to be. ¡°There will be laws when we get back!¡± Ula started laughing. ¡°You think we¡¯re all getting back?¡± The Hispanic grandmother pointed at 2E. ¡°We haven¡¯t been here ten hours. Three people are dead down here. Who knows how many more topside, but one thing is for sure.¡± She pointed at the remaining Demons. ¡°More people are going to die. So if you think for one second that I won¡¯t bend you over my knee and give you an attitude adjustment, well..." She rolled her shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t test me.¡±This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Dawson glared at the older woman, but after almost a minute, he looked away. ¡°Whatever.¡± He turned and walked away from the group. ¡°Well, that was unfortunate.¡± Ula sighed. ¡°Kids these days. They think they¡¯re entitled to everything even though they haven¡¯t done any of the work.¡± She smiled at Penelope. ¡°Having said that, you should take what you want since you cooked it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­¡± Penelope looked down at the stacks of steaks. ¡°None of those stats help me out. Plus you did all the butchering.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a sweetheart.¡± The tan woman reached for Penelope¡¯s hand but stopped. Ula looked down at her hands. ¡°You probably don¡¯t want my bloody hands touching yours.¡± Penelope glanced down at her own hands. She¡¯d cut up meat earlier, but the constant use of had burned away all the grime on her palms. A smile split her pale cheeks. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°No, thank you!¡± Ula chuckled softly. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have been able to go very long without food. Now all we have to worry about is water.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t been getting water from the Demons?¡± ¡°Five ounces of bitter water for four people..." Ula shook her head. ¡°We need thirteen a day each.¡± The grandmother motioned in front of her to the southwest. ¡°We¡¯ve cleared nine.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Penelope¡¯s stomach reminded her that it was getting close to dinner time. Her body was feeling the strain of the day¡¯s activity and her mana was in the single digits. The soda she¡¯d brought with her had supplemented her fluids, but otherwise, she would need to clear more squares so that she didn¡¯t start dehydrating. ¡°Are you going to keep fighting today?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have much of a choice.¡± Ula raised her eyebrows. ¡°Thinking about joining us?¡± Penelope¡¯s heart thundered in her ears. ¡°No.¡± She closed her eyes to calm her nerves. This wasn¡¯t a good run, and now that she knew about the jobs, there were other things that she could adjust on future attempts. ¡°Already thinking about redoing your best attempt?¡± Jeru teased. I¡¯m being realistic. Penelope thought back at him. We wasted too much time cooking. We won¡¯t eat all of this even if we do clear the first floor this run. ¡°... what you want and leave the rest for us?¡± Penelope blinked and tried to piece together what Ula had just said to her. ¡°I just need a dozen.¡± She began loading up the meat onto a cloth belt from one of the Casters. The strip of cloth was as wide as her hand, which made it about the right width to wrap around the steaks. ¡°Are you sure?¡± The older woman eyed the stack. ¡°There¡¯s almost ten times that here.¡± ¡°I only need three a day.¡± Penelope turned around to look to the north where the boss room waited. ¡°Once we beat the boss, we¡¯ll be able to go back to the surface, and if we don''t..." She shrugged. ¡°It won¡¯t matter.¡± Ula scrunched her brow. ¡°How do you know that we¡¯ll be able to go outside once we kill that thing?¡± Penelope almost choked. She¡¯d just dropped privileged information. ¡°Um¡­¡± She swallowed. ¡°Whenever we clear a square, the barrier walls connecting it to the safe zone come down. The boss is being kept on this floor by the barrier at the front door. So I would guess that once the boss square is cleared, we¡¯ll be able to leave.¡± The tanned woman tilted her head as she nodded. ¡°Sounds logical.¡± ¡°This is more than enough for me to eat over the next three days.¡± Penelope glanced at the men, then back to their leader. ¡°Good luck.¡± ¡°Take care, Sweetie.¡± Ula waved. ¡°I worry about you taking on all of that on your own, but you¡¯ve been doing okay so far.¡± Her pleasant face grew serious. ¡°But if you die, don¡¯t haunt me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Penelope didn¡¯t correct the older woman. ¡°That¡¯s sweet; thank you.¡± ¡°You can thank me by not dying.¡± Ula nodded at the square to the west. ¡°Go ahead and do your thing.¡± Penelope looked west to her left, then turned north. ¡°You¡¯re going to keep going even though you have food?¡± She smiled. "Thanks; I think I¡¯m going to deviate for a bit.¡± Jeru? What would be the most helpful square in C for them to clear? ¡°3F has leg guards that Patrick would be able to use. 3J has gloves that will make Dawson¡¯s poison stronger.¡± Penelope nodded and motioned east, which was on her left. ¡°You can gear up if you pick ones that have better gear.¡± She closed her mouth and ran her tongue over the front of her teeth like she was debating something. ¡°My investigate skill lets me see the special gear. 3F and J look like they¡¯ll help your team the most.¡± ¡°F and J, huh?¡± Ula nodded. ¡°You just keep helping us. You certain that you don¡¯t want to join us?¡± Penelope cast a nervous glance at Dawson. She wasn¡¯t comfortable being around him for any longer than she needed to. Even if she had felt comfortable about joining a team, the young Poison Caster was a deal-breaker. ¡°Just trying to help the best I can.¡± Penelope forced a smile, then turned and walked away before Ula could say anything else. She set her gaze on the monsters in 4D. It was time to start killing things again. Chapter 25 - I Think... Im Done A normal-sized crow sat on the shoulder of the Shadow Caster. Normal except for how they had four red eyes instead of just two. All four Demonic Centipedes reared up seven feet in the air, then paced back and forth in front of the Demon. Their hundred legs were each as long as her forearm and scraped against the stone floor like thousands of tiny nails on a chalkboard. The black and red colors on their shells swathed in a chaotic pattern. Penelope sat in the middle of the barrier as she chewed on one of the steaks. She glanced at her menu to check the time.
Dungeon Floor 1
Time Remaining: 3:13:53:25
She was down to just under eighty-six hours for seventy-eight squares. If she slept eight hours each of the nights, she was going to lose thirty-two of those hours. Penelope shook her head. It was still doable; there just wasn¡¯t as much wiggle room as she would have liked. ¡°Anything you can tell me about this square?¡± Penelope kept her voice low just in case the other group was listening. They were moving the meat from the front quarter of the square, so there was over three hundred feet between them. Penelope could hear them talking, even if she couldn¡¯t make out their words. ¡°I¡¯ve already told you more than I should have.¡± The blue Elf appeared in front of her. ¡°I haven¡¯t given this many hints about the first floor to anyone since Kenny, and he was the twelfth looper.¡± ¡°That long ago, huh?¡± Penelope closed her eyes. ¡°You decided to start helping me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not an easy button.¡± Jeru snapped. ¡°Do you think having to kill these monsters is easy?¡± There was a long pause. ¡°I did it.¡± Penelope opened her eyes. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°I was the first returner. I fought my way down to the Archdemon on the tenth floor and fought him.¡± ¡°Within the system?¡± ¡°There were too many of them not to limit their power. Tying the incursion to a system created a choke point that made it easier to deplete the army.¡± His voice got somber. ¡°But I failed. Before I died, I linked my power between the Archdemon and Joe, then created the anchor point.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re telling me that you¡¯ve already done all of this?¡± ¡°I started at level one hundred, but yes. I walked through the floors with a small team and decimated the minions on my way to the end.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the same thing.¡± Penelope swept her arm out. ¡°You could kill everything on this floor with a wave of your hand. That¡¯s not the same thing.¡± ¡°True, but I¡¯ve ridden through this floor more times than I can remember. I¡¯ve watched people who were full of fire and dedication wane as they pushed against the stronger and larger waves.¡± ¡°What you¡¯re saying is that you still haven¡¯t decided if I¡¯m going to give up or not.¡± Penelope shook her head. ¡°You know that¡¯s a good way to get someone to throw in the towel.¡± ¡°True, but the backlash of that is prohibitive.¡± Jeru clicked his tongue. ¡°No, I¡¯m not getting into that. Not now. You need to focus on the fight in front of you.¡± There was a sigh. ¡°The crows are Speed-type. Not much different from the bats. The bugs are Defense, despite how they appear. Both are weak to spells, which makes the Shadow your only concern.¡± There was a pause, highlighted by a soft humming as the Elf thought. ¡±Since you¡¯re thinking about it, here are their stats.¡±
Demonic Crow - Level 4 Demonic Centipede - Level 4
6 Power 6 Defense 11 Speed 7 Power 11 Defense 5 Speed
4 MagicYou could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. 3 Recovery 6 Aura 6 Magic 4 Recovery 3 Aura
Skills: Peck, Wing Strike Skills: Coil, Bite
Passives: Flight Passives: Scale Armor, Venom
Penelope glanced at the stats for a moment before dismissing them. ¡°Any tips on how to beat the Demon?¡± ¡°It has four spells; since all you have is offensive Magic, you may have trouble with this fight.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell me what four spells it has, are you?¡± Penelope stood up. She already knew the answer to that question. His silence confirmed it. But he¡¯d given her more help than he had so far, which was progress. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s try this.¡± Penelope stepped through the barrier. The four bugs ran straight at her as the Shadow Caster followed behind them. Penelope kept one eye on the main Demon as she gauged the distance between her and the Demonic Centipedes. Once they reached thirty feet away she released the spell. ¡°Light Blast!¡± The air in front of the monsters cracked like she had just thrown a table face first into a window. The cracks in the barrier in front of the bugs spiderwebbed through the air, leaving no doubt that the barrier protecting them held. Penelope started backing up. ¡°Light Blast! Light Blast!¡± CRACK The sides of the barrier broke off, but the middle held. Ding! Experience +12 Experience +12 You are now Level Eight Stats increased: Aura +1, Magic +1 You have learned: Light Burst The other two centipedes were on her, their jaws each pinching around a wrist as their long bodies wrapped around her body. Hundreds of tiny knives needled their way through the robe, digging into her flesh. ¡°Light Burst!¡± Light erupted from her body bathing an area fifteen feet around her in magic. Ding! Experience +6 Experience +6 Penelope sagged to her knees as the weight of the demons pulled on her. The bugs were dead, but their feet were still latched in her. Penelope struggled to move as the bug suit that she was wearing was immobilizing her just like the winter when she had been five and there had been a freak snow. Her mother had gone overboard since she didn¡¯t have a heavy coat to play in, so instead, Penelope got to wear four layers of clothes. The result had been walking around like there were poles on her joints. Claws scratched at her face as the crow joined the fight. ¡°Light-¡± The bird bit her lower lip. ¡°-BURST!¡± Ding! Experience +6 Penelope tried to ignore the blood in her mouth as she focused on the laughing Demon that was approaching her. ¡°LIGHT BURST!¡± The Shadow Caster was outside the range of the spell and threw a blast of magic that was invisible, almost like the air attack, except this one felt like she was getting hit by a brick. Penelope stumbled back. Her retreat, combined with the attack from the centipedes, had moved her almost to the barrier. The next from the Demon pushed her even closer. ¡°LIGHT BURST!¡± The chitin on the monsters had cracked, but she was still immobilized. The third one knocked her into the barrier. The magical forcefield crackled and sputtered, with her unable to stand. ¡°LIGHT BURST!¡± Pieces of the monsters began falling off of her, but not everything. A fourth spell smashed into the left side of her face, swelling her eye on that side shut. Penelope pointed her right index finger at the Shadow Caster, but before she could speak, a fifth bent the finger backwards. Penelope fell to her left, the movement sparing her from the next spell. Her voice had to be squeezed out to cast the next spell. ¡°Light Beam.¡± A stream of light magic shot out of her palm. The air crackled as the light beat on the barrier in front of Shadow Caster. The cracks were healing as fast as they were forming, but the attack had stopped the other Caster from being able to attack as they focused on keeping their barrier up. The Demon reached into their robe. Its glowing eyes gleamed as it pulled out a mana potion and took the top off. A Cheshire grin split its face as the Shadow Caster downed the restorative fluid. Penelope reached into her pocket with her thumb and pinky and pulled out a mana potion of her own. She pried the top off with her teeth and poured most of the metallic-tasting potion into her mouth. Penelope reached into her left pocket with the same hand and pulled out a healing potion as she maintained the onslaught. ROAR! The Demon stopped repairing the barrier and fired a at her. Penelope hugged the potion against her chest and took the hit. She didn¡¯t try to sit up as she shoved the top of the vial in her mouth and pried off the top. She gripped the potion tight as the next hit her hand. The impact drove her knuckles into her nose and splashed spicy liquid into her sinuses. Before the Demon could hit her again, Penelope shoved the bottle into her mouth. She choked as she breathed the healing fluid, but her cuts started healing, and the remaining monster parts attached to her started falling off as her body pushed the invasive claws out of her skin. ¡°LIGHT BEAM!¡± A second beam shot out of the palm of her hand. She didn¡¯t try to sit up; even with the healing, it hurt too much. Penelope took another to the face, but she refused to let the spells go out. CRASH The barrier shattered, allowing the two beams to punch a hole through the Demon¡¯s chest. ROAR! Ding! Experience +24 The barrier behind her vanished. Penelope sagged as she lay down on the cold stone. ¡°I think¡­¡± Penelope closed her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m done.¡± Chapter 26 - Lets Do This Penelope¡¯s eyes shot open. She had to throw off a robe that had been covering her like a blanket. Penelope stared at the cloth in her hand, then checked the time.
Dungeon Floor 1
Time Remaining: 3:09:38:38
¡°Have a good nap?¡± Penelope glared at the blue Elf in front of her. ¡°Were you watching me in my sleep?¡± Jeru shrugged. ¡°Not much else to do.¡± Penelope sighed and looked around. ¡°How¡¯s the other group doing?¡± Her ethereal companion floated over to look to the east. ¡°From what I could see, they beat two squares and bedded down themselves. Ula came to check on you by herself.¡± ¡°Is that why I have this¡­¡± Penelope looked to her left at the bodies of the bugs that she¡¯d fallen asleep on. Her stash from the far west was stacked in a nice pile between her and the corpses. ¡°Did they move my stuff?¡± Her chest got tighter as she scooted over and started taking an inventory. ¡°It¡¯s almost all there.¡± The blue Elf pointed at the Infernal Water. ¡°You really need to drink. You didn¡¯t get enough yesterday.¡± Penelope licked her dry lips as she picked up the vials. Some quick math had her shaking her head. ¡°There¡¯s not enough for all of us.¡± Jeru rested on the pile of stacked armor. ¡°You can make it.¡± ¡°There¡¯s 1455 oz of fluid in here. We each need close to 100 oz a day given our level of exertion. That means there¡¯s enough here to last all five of us three days, not four.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be weak, but it¡¯s doable.¡± The blue Elf raised an eyebrow. ¡°Are you wanting to reset?¡± Penelope looked at the boss area to the north. After a moment, she sighed and shook her head. ¡°No. There¡¯s still a lot I can learn about this floor while I think about the water problem.¡± ¡°Thinking about taking water as your element?¡± She thought for a moment before shaking her head. ¡°No, because if we don¡¯t have my light, then we can¡¯t cook.¡± She stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll think of something.¡± All of the gear had been sorted and was stacked in a pile not far from her. Penelope opened her menu and scanned the pile. ¡°Jeru, what did the last mage have that wasn¡¯t a common item?¡± She knelt down to physically count the instead of relying on the display. ¡°Magic Gloves.¡± The incorporeal Elf hovered beside her. ¡°Dawson took them about an hour ago. Also took two of your waters and the potions that weren¡¯t in your pockets.¡± Penelope clenched her right hand into a fist. ¡°That little¡­¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°How good was it?¡± ¡°The gloves? Just one point to your Magic. No extra resistances or damage.¡± ¡°Do I need to make a fuss about it?¡± Just the thought of going over there and confronting the group accelerated her heart. ¡°The next chance you¡¯ll get at some cloth gloves are in 7A.¡± Jeru shrugged. ¡°Getting twenty Magic would upgrade two of your classes.¡± Penelope pulled up her stats and glanced over them, then she looked at her equipment.
Penelope Flynn
Level 8 - GreenhornA case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Experience 756/800
Stamina 38/38
Mana 68/68
4 Power 3 Defense 11+2 Speed
17+2 Magic 9+2 Recovery 4 Aura
Air Damage +5% Water Damage +5% Nature Damage +5% Fire Resistance 5%
Head
Neck Air Pendant Magic +1 Air Damage +5%
Off Hand Chest Shadow Robe Main Hand Nature Wand Speed +1 Nature Damage +5%
Hands Belt Torn Cloth Hands
L Finger Water Ring Recovery +1 Water Damage +5% Legs Red Shadow Pants Recovery +1 Poison Resistance +5% R Finger Venom Ring Speed +1 5% chance to poison enemies on hits.
Feet Red Shadow Sandals Magic +1 Fire Resistance +5%
Penelope bit her lip. ¡°When is the next piece of Magic gear?¡± ¡°5D.¡± Jeru sighed. ¡°If you confront Dawson, he will argue. Ula is honest enough to tell him to give it back. Patrick will back whoever keeps the fight going and Marlow could go either way.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve dealt with them a lot?¡± The blue Elf nodded. ¡°Loopers will join one of the two teams down here, so I¡¯ve got to see a lot of interactions.¡± ¡°How hard is it going to be to get them back?¡± Penelope closed her eyes as she focused on leveling her breathing. ¡°It¡¯s not worth it.¡± Jeru¡¯s words calmed her panicking nerves. ¡°If this was a keeper run, then sure, fight for what¡¯s yours. But you¡¯re planning on resetting this, so you can just make sure you grab them first on the next run.¡± Penelope nodded. ¡°I should probably start then.¡± She ate one of the jerky steaks and drank a few vials of . The sulfur aftertaste was strong, but it was the only water that she had, so she forced it down. She looked to the north to the next square. Both the demonic beasts were at least three feet tall. The Demonic Frog had rows of teeth that would make a shark jealous. Its pink tongue licked its face, leaving a trail of saliva between the two yellow eyes. The four Demonic Spiders were on the ceiling, scratching at the stone with each one of their eyes focused on the human that was standing in front of their square. The Shadow Caster had its eyes closed, an ominous sight compared to the hatred that most of the Demons cast her way before she entered. There was nothing to indicate what type of spells awaited her when she entered and given her luck with the last few Casters, Penelope wasn¡¯t excited about the coming battle. The biggest source of her discomfort was that the Shadow Demon didn¡¯t have a weapon. Those had been Healers and Buffers so far, with poison serving as one of the hardest things for her to deal with. The Assassin had been a harder fight, but once she¡¯d learned its moves, it had been easy to avoid. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯ll give me any hints?¡± Penelope looked over at the blue Elf floating beside her. ¡°The frog¡¯s tongue can get you from farther away than you¡¯d expect. The spiders can shoot their webs as far as you can cast, and they¡¯ll lay down thread to keep you from being able to move around without getting tangled.¡± Jeru shrugged. ¡°The Shadow is all offense; just hit them hard because metal spells are nasty and you don¡¯t have much in the form of protection.¡± Penelope stared at her translucent companion. ¡°What happened to not helping?¡± ¡°I got bored.¡± Jeru shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re about to start seeing some of the nastiness, and I don¡¯t feel like watching you repeat the last day a few hundred more times.¡± ¡°Thanks, I guess.¡± Penelope sliced through the air a few times with her wand. ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡± Chapter 27 - Don’t Talk to It None of the Demons moved when she walked into the square. All five of the lesser Demons had their eyes on her, but none of them reacted. After a few seconds of standing near the barrier, Penelope started walking towards the cluster of monsters. ¡°What are they doing?¡± She muttered under her breath. ¡°All their attacks have the same range as yours. They¡¯re going to use hit-and-fade tactics.¡± Penelope nodded as she kept an eye on the monsters. When she was a hundred-fifty feet away from the cluster, the Demonic Spiders skittered across the ceiling, forming an arc around her that was expanding into a circle. The Shadow Caster and Demonic Frog stayed in the center of the square, neither one moving as she approached. The Demon reached down and scratched the head of the Demonic Frog, then its silver eyes opened and fixated on her. THE PALE ONE COMES FOR US Penelope¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You can speak?¡± YOUR TONGUE IS SIMPLE BUT EFFECTIVE ¡°You know it¡¯s trying to distract you?¡± Penelope swatted at the air like she was waving away a bug. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯ll leave without a fight?¡± The Demon laughed, releasing a noise that was closer to gravel hitting glass than joy. THERE IS NO LEAVING FOR US. ONLY SUBMISSION FOR YOU Penelope scrunched her brow. ¡°What?¡± WE ARE NOT DEFEATED HERE, ONLY SENT BACK TO FIGHT AGAIN Jeru, what is it talking about? Penelope tried to keep an eye on the spiders that were moving around her. ¡°I told you not to talk to it.¡± Penelope let a growl roll in her throat. I did, so explain what it meant, or I¡¯ll ask it. ¡°This¡¯ll be good.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Penelope looked at the Demon. ¡°What do you mean, you¡¯ll fight again?¡± WE DO NOT DIE. YOU CUT OUR TETHERS, BUT WE WILL BE BACK AS LONG AS THE GATE IS OPEN The Shadow Caster spread out the fingers on its right hand and waved it slowly in front of it. Metal shards that looked like pieces of glass materialized in the wake of the hand. THE ELF MAY HAVE LIMITED OUR POWER, BUT THERE ARE ONLY FIVE OF YOU. IF I FALL HERE, THEN I WILL WAIT FOR YOU ON THE NEXT FLOOR AND THE NEXT. I CAN FALL HUNDREDS OF TIMES. WHEN YOU FALL, I WILL ADD YOU TO MY COLLECTION The smooth sides of the metal shards changed from smooth silver to faces of people and beings. There were Elves, Goblins, Dwarves, Anubis, Centaurs, and a lot more races that Penelope had never seen before. ¡°Told you not to talk to it.¡± Jeru pulled on her right earlobe. ¡°Behind you.¡± ¡°Light Beam!¡± A stream of light shot out of the tip of the wand as she spun to her right. The Demonic Spider on that side of her spit a stream of webbing as thick as her arm at her. Her spell sliced it off as she twisted the wand to cut more of the sticky stream while she honed in on the spider. The monster dropped off of the ceiling to avoid the beam, skittering backwards to get out of range. The webbing changed from a thick rope to a wide net. The net didn¡¯t shoot as far, but it did cover the stone floor, making it impossible for her to get into range without clearing the trap first. Penelope canceled the beam spell before it used more mana than three of her single-cast spells. Before she could think about how to clear the webbing, she caught the attack of another spider to her left. ¡°Light Blast!¡± The surge of light evaporated the webbing, but only for as long as the light shone. After the spell died down, the webbing kept coming. ¡°Light Blast! Light Burst!¡± A shard of metal sank into her neck. Penelope grabbed a Healing Potion out of her left pocket as she backed away from the Caster. A few of the shards cut her robe, and one managed to sink into her cheek. Penelope pulled the lid of the vial off with her teeth and downed the liquid. Cool glue chased away the spicy sensation as the Demonic Spiders managed to start covering her in webbing. ¡°Light Burst!¡± The light that erupted out of her burned away all of the webbing, freeing her to face the incoming metal. Penelope put her arm up in front of her face and started running. GIVE UP. YOU ARE FATED TO DIE ¡°Light Beam!¡±If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Penelope was done talking to the Shadow Demon; all she wanted from it now was for it to die. The beam of light chased through the metal projectiles, destroying the ones that crossed through the beam. Many got through, tearing more holes in the robe. ¡°Light Burst!¡± Penelope destroyed the webbing whenever it hit her while keeping the beam chasing the Demon. ¡°Light Burst! Light Burst!¡± The Shadow Caster stopped, letting her get within range. Her beam clipped its shoulder as Penelope swept to slice the neck. FROG! WHAM! The tip of the Demonic Frog¡¯s tongue hit the side of her knee, knocking it out from under her. Her beam went wide, scorching a black mark across the ceiling. Penelope turned her wand towards the frog at the same time that the bludgeon at the tip of the tongue hit her right hand. ¡°LIGHT BURST!!!¡± The Demonic Frog reeled back as her spell burned off the tip of its tongue. The monster¡¯s greatest weapon had been neutralized, but Penelope no longer had her weapon. Her wand clanked across the floor, where it was secured in place with webbing. More metal shards hit her side as her mind tried to think about how to proceed. YOU FAILED! STOP STRUGGLING AND I WILL KILL YOU NOW! Penelope¡¯s right leg couldn¡¯t hold any weight, and her left side was full of metal shards. Webbing hit her between the shoulders and yanked her back, while more webbing caught her right foot and yanked her forward. ¡°LIGHT BURST!!!¡± The webbing attached to her vanished, dropping her on her right side. ¡°Light Blast!¡± Penelope threw her right arm at the Demonic Frog mid-jump. DING! Experience +12 The body of the frog didn¡¯t lose much momentum. It hit the ground a few feet away from her and rolled. Penelope scooted the best she could while she dug into her pocket for another Healing Potion. She managed to scoot back, but webbing stuck her left arm to her side. ¡°Light¡­¡± Penelope had to use her right arm to protect her face now. The Demonic Spiders were closing in. Two others had stuck her legs to the cold stone floor. She could see the fourth one eyeing her right arm. Penelope pointed at the Shadow. ¡°ARROW!!!¡± Nothing happened. Her eyes went wide, and she started hyperventilating. ¡°LIGHT ARROW! LIGHT LASH! LIGHT BOMBARDMENT! LIGHT MAGIC!!!¡± Penelope jammed her right hand in her pocket and grabbed a Mana Potion. She yanked it out only for her right hand to get webbed against her chest. She bent her neck down, snapping her teeth as she tried to bite the lid. HAHAHAHA!!! YOU¡¯RE OUT OF MANA AND CAN¡¯T TAKE A POTION!!! The Shadow Demon walked up to her and plucked the vial out of her hand. ¡°HEY!!!¡± Penelope strained against the webbing. ¡°THAT¡¯S MINE!¡± A POTION MADE IN THE ABYSS? NO, YOU TOOK THIS AS A PRIZE JUST LIKE I AM. It opened the lid and poured the cool liquid into its mouth. AH, NOTHING LIKE A NICE TOP OFF. The Shadow Demon looked down at her. I PROMISED A SWIFT DEATH IF YOU SURRENDERED. THIS IS NOT SURRENDER. Penelope smirked. ¡°No, it¡¯s not." She hadn¡¯t used all her mana like she wanted the Demon to believe. In fact, she still had thirteen mana. ¡°LIGHT BURST!¡± The webbing restraining her vanished. Her right hand went back in her pocket as her left pointed at the Demon that was close enough to touch. ¡°LIGHT BLAST!¡± DING! Experience +36 You are now Level Nine Stats increased: Recovery +1, Magic +1 You have learned: Light Torrent New Class Unlocked! Greenhorn -> Spellshot New Passive Unlocked! Chaincast Mana Sponge The point in Magic and the point in Recovery gave her four more mana, which was enough to cast two spells. The four spiders abandoned any caution and charged her. Penelope pointed her left hand at the incoming spiders on that side. ¡°LIGHT TOR-¡± Nausea washed over her, and she saw double. Penelope pulled a Mana Potion out of her pocket and downed the contents as the spiders reached her. A leg speared through her left leg, while in front another spider missed spearing her in the face but still punched her in the nose with the bend of its leg. Teeth sank into her right shoulder, and a sharp pain in her back drove all of her breath away. ¡°Light Burst!¡± SKREE!!! The pain in her back intensified as she was lifted into the air. She summoned her strength, but the words still came out in a whisper. ¡°Light Burst.¡± DING! Experience +6 Experience +6 Experience +6 Experience +6 The stone didn¡¯t give as Penelope bounced off it. She rolled over, but the dead spider¡¯s leg was still in her back. It was hard to breathe, and she was having a hard time speaking. ¡°Don¡¯t speak, just talk to me here.¡± Jeru appeared in front of her while he spoke in her mind. I need a potion. ¡°A potion won¡¯t fix this.¡± The blue Elf shook his head. ¡°You have to get that spider leg out of you first.¡± Light Burst? Just speaking in her mind was taking more energy than she had. Penelope¡¯s eyes started to close. ¡°If you could speak.¡± Jeru shook his head. ¡°But you haven¡¯t learned silent casting.¡± What do I do? ¡°I can reset it.¡± The blue Elf looked south, then back at her. ¡°Or you can wait and see if Ula comes over to check on you before you die.¡± Penelope closed her eyes. She¡¯d cleared the room, but she wasn¡¯t going to get to enjoy the spoils of this one just like the last room had been stolen from her. Reset it. ¡°You sure?¡± Jeru eyed her. ¡°You could still salvage this run.¡± Just do it. Penelope tried to cough, but it gagged her. I can get more done by working my way through another run than I can waiting here to see if I die before I get saved. She closed her eyes. Just do it. A blinding light was his reply. Chapter 28 - I Need a Break Penelope sighed, then turned around. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Penelope shook her head. Her Elf parasite already knew the answer to that question, and she didn¡¯t feel like talking about it while she pushed her way through people to get to the back of the crowd. ¡°Okay, so you¡¯re going to explore the campus, but what makes you think that there is anything in there that¡¯s worth anything?¡± Penelope tried to glare at him, but only scared the small woman in front of her. Penelope dodged around the crowd, then walked down the alley, ignoring the stronger minty smell in the air. There were more of the blue leaves on the ground in the south west alley than there had been in the north west one. ¡°This is a campus to teach mages. There has to be some magical artifacts that they left that I can use.¡± Penelope walked around to the front of the building. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to get past the security.¡± Jeru appeared in front of her. ¡°Only a teacher can shut them off.¡± He looked to the southwest, where the city was beginning to react to the dome. ¡°If you set off the alarm, the Authority will come, and you¡¯ll waste a run because they¡¯ll detain everyone until they figure out what¡¯s going on, and by then, the Demons on the first floor will break out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what happened whenever someone tried breaking in?¡± Penelope stopped in front of the double doors. She pointed at the golden glow on the columns as she passed by. ¡°What are those?¡± ¡°Those are scanners to check if you¡¯re a Were.¡± Jeru sighed. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll give you the tour.¡± The blue Elf motioned at the building. ¡°Welcome to the Dimar Satellite of the University. The place where all Elves on this colony went to learn about magic.¡± The building had tall white columns in front of two impressive double doors. The glass was thick and tinted so that Penelope couldn¡¯t see inside. The etching on the doors hummed as she ran her hands over them. The style of the building resembled something old, like it had been made to be a simple building or warehouse and then renovated and decorated with more features. Bigger, tinted windows, magic locks, as well as empty spaces where statues would have fit. ¡°Elementals.¡± Jeru provided. ¡°They would guard campuses, especially if there was a Were attack.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so important about Werewolves?¡± Penelope didn¡¯t look at the parasite hovering beside her. ¡°You have magic.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just wolves. There are WereCats, WereBears, WereRats, even WereRabbits.¡± The blue Elf shook his head. ¡°If you¡¯ve seen an animal of it, then there¡¯s a Were variety.¡± ¡°There are lots of different types of Weres. Why is that important?¡± Penelope touched the pad on the doorframe. ¡°That¡¯s¨C!¡± Jeru shook his head. ¡°If you trip the alarm, then you¡¯re going to have to reset!¡± ¡°I can just keep trying until I figure out how to get in.¡± Penelope glanced at him. ¡°You were saying?¡± ¡°Ugh. Here.¡± Jere moved over to the pad. ¡°Run some magic through it.¡± ¡°How?¡± Penelope looked at her hands. ¡°Take your Light Magic.¡± Jeru put his incorporeal hand on the pad. ¡°Then think about the spell, but don¡¯t cast it. Hold it in your mind like you¡¯re charging it. That should be enough.¡± Penelope scrolled through the menus until she¡¯d claimed Light Magic, then put her hand on the pad. After almost a minute, nothing had happened. ¡°What happens if I cast the spell?¡± ¡°DON¡¯T do that!¡± Jeru slashed his hands in front of her. ¡°The building will think you¡¯re attacking it, and the Authority will show up and shoot first.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Penelope bit her lip. ¡°So what do you want me to do?¡± ¡°Casting magic isn¡¯t so easy without the system doing it for you?¡± Jeru clicked his tongue. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to work at it. If this was your natural magic, then you wouldn¡¯t be having as much trouble, but this isn¡¯t your natural magic, plus¡­¡± The blue Elf shook his head. ¡°No, that shouldn¡¯t be a problem. I¡¯ve seen plenty of Humans use magic pre-awakening.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Penelope eyed him. ¡°It¡¯s not important.¡± Jeru waved his hand. ¡°What is important is practicing your magic.¡± He sighed as he looked around. ¡°We¡¯ll have to practice away from the building. Come here.¡± The spectral Elf floated towards the rows of trees in the parking lot. Penelope followed him to the tree with blue diamond-shaped leaves. ¡°Now what?¡±This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°You have to learn how you¡¯re using magic in order to do it without the system holding your hand.¡± Jeru floated over to a limb and pointed at a branch that was curved downward, so it stuck out among the rest of the branches. ¡°Focus on this branch as your target. What I want you to do is feel how the magic flows through you and shapes itself to become your spell.¡± ¡°Will this let me cast spells early?¡± Penelope grinned as she began imagining the different things that she could use magic to create. ¡°If you spent twenty years working on this, maybe.¡± The Elf shook his head. ¡°The problem is that you don¡¯t have any innate magic right now. All the magic that flows through you is because it¡¯s flowing through the mantle, so your mana pathways aren¡¯t even being used. Over time, you could start coaxing them back to life, but that¡¯s something that you have to do throughout a run, not something that you can force at the beginning.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Penelope sighed. ¡°Okay, so what do you want me to do?¡± ¡°Cast Light Pulse at this branch. Feel how the magic flows through you. You should be able to run your magic with the system even if you won¡¯t be able to cast something with it.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± She bit her lip as she pointed at the branch. ¡°Light Pulse!¡± Penelope couldn¡¯t feel anything as she cast the spell. She looked over at Jeru even though she knew the answer. ¡°If you know what I¡¯m going to say, then why are you thinking about asking me how many times you''ll have to do this?¡± The blue Elf folded his arms across his chest. Penelope nodded and turned back to the tree. ¡°Light Pulse!¡± Jeru watched her continue to throw magic at the tree until she depleted all of her mana. ¡°Now what?¡± Penelope rubbed her head. ¡°I¡¯m still not feeling anything.¡± Jeru shrugged. ¡°You could always go into the Dungeon like you¡¯re supposed to.¡± Penelope looked in the direction of the Dungeon, then back at the Elf. ¡°Is it going to be worth it to start now?¡± Jeru shrugged. ¡°I learned a while ago that the runs that went the deepest were the ones where the looper did it their way. Trying to mimic someone else¡¯s style ended up frustrating them to the point that all of them gave up before they were able to replicate it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one with the body. All I can do is annoy you.¡± He looked over Penelope. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± She thought for a moment. ¡°Go ahead and restart it. I want to try this a few more times, and it¡¯ll be faster to restart it than to wait for my mana to regenerate naturally.¡± Jeru snapped his fingers, and blinding light washed over her. Penelope went straight to the tree and tried to feel the magic. After the seventeenth attempt, she was getting to the point that she could cast the spell and hold onto it for a little while. It wasn¡¯t the most helpful skill considering that she couldn¡¯t charge a spell, then walk through the barrier, but if a monster moved, she could hold off on releasing the spell until she targeted it again. ¡°I think you¡¯ve hit a wall.¡± Jeru shook his head after she¡¯d expended all her mana for the fiftieth time. ¡°You¡¯re getting better at control, and your aim has improved, but you¡¯re still not able to run your mana without casting a spell.¡± ¡°Are you sure there¡¯s no way to get into the building without being able to use mana?¡± Penelope looked over at the doors. ¡°You have to be able to channel your magic into the reader so that it can verify who you are. Because I¡¯m linked to you, it¡¯ll recognize me and let you in, but that¡¯s only if you can channel your mana.¡± The blue Elf shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t think that this is a control problem. I think it¡¯s a physical problem for lack of a better comparison. You just don¡¯t have the natural magic capacity to try this right now. Maybe once you clear the first floor.¡± Jeru sighed. ¡°If you want to keep trying it, I¡¯ll keep resetting it for you, but I really think you should try something else before you get frustrated.¡± ¡°What are we going to do about water?¡± Penelope took a deep breath. ¡°I could take water as my element, but then we wouldn¡¯t have any heat to cook.¡± ¡°There are two items on the first floor that let you use water spells and two items that let you use ice spells.¡± The blue Elf winced at the rage inside Penelope¡¯s mind. ¡°WHY. DIDN¡¯T. YOU. SAY. THAT. EARLIER?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t ask.¡± Jeru shrugged. ¡°You¡¯ve been keeping a tight lip about everything I¡¯ve been asking about, and now you¡¯re hiding behind me, not asking a question?¡± Penelope shook her head. ¡°We¡¯re going to have to make some ground rules, because this one-way mind-reading thing isn¡¯t going to work if you keep being cryptic and withholding information you know I want.¡± The blue Elf started to speak. ¡°No.¡± Penelope wagged her finger at him. ¡°Don¡¯t give me the whole ¡®I¡¯m trying to make you think for yourself¡¯ speech. I can¡¯t figure this thing out if I have to worry about you sabotaging me just so you can feel superior.¡± Jeru opened his mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t try to deny it. You¡¯re frustrated that you can¡¯t do anything, so you¡¯re exerting control the only way you can. This might be a game to you, but I¡¯m the one who dies out there. So how about you start working with me like we¡¯re a team instead of like I¡¯m your video game character?" Penelope huffed as she finished speaking. After a moment of silence, Jeru risked getting cut off again. ¡°Can I speak now?¡± Penelope nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve been reluctant to embrace you, and I admit that I could be a lot more helpful. The first floor is the only place where I will reliably know more than you, and I¡¯ve been making it last longer than it would if I had been working with you.¡± He sighed. ¡°For that, I apologize, and I will try to provide more information when you are looking for it.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Penelope took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves. ¡°What do you think I should do now?¡± Jeru thought for a moment. ¡°I think you should join Oakley¡¯s team on the next runthrough.¡± Penelope shivered. ¡°Anything besides social interaction?¡± ¡°I think you can make better time, but the water and ice items are on 4G through 4I besides the one at 7A.¡± He shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s no way that you get those items off one of the groups unless you can be faster than they are.¡± Jeru looked over Penelope. ¡°You know that they¡¯re going to join the fight as soon as they can if you get that close. And if you send them west, you lose the wand.¡± Penelope nodded. ¡°Then I guess I¡¯ll just have to get faster.¡± Penelope took a deep breath. ¡°Alright, reset me. Let¡¯s do a Dungeon run and see if I¡¯ve improved.¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± Blinding light engulfed her as time rewound. Chapter 29 - Abusing Retries Penelope used the Mana Potions to keep moving. Compared to the Demonic Centipedes, the Demonic Ants were so slow it was like they were crawling. She killed the three in the first room, then killed the Shadow Swordsman, took its Mana Potion, and finished off the last and Ceiling Creeper. Killing the Shadow Demon while she was still level one gave her six more experience than killing it once she was level two. She checked how she was progressing after finishing 1D and made a note of her total stat increases.
Level 3 - Greenhorn - Experience 210/300
Speed +2, Magic +2
Penelope moved the metal armor towards the center of the square before she went into 1C. Her spells fired faster, and she didn¡¯t miss, which gave her an edge against the Shadow Caster. She killed the three ants and one Ceiling Creeper before finishing off the Demon, then the last Ceiling Creeper.
Level 4 - Greenhorn - Experience 342/400
Speed +2, Magic +3, Recovery +1
Ula¡¯s team came in at this point, and Penelope handed off the metal gear, pointed them east, then went back to her side. The minions in the first column weren¡¯t a threat to her anymore, and the Shadow Buffer was the least threatening of all the bosses that she¡¯d fought so far. Penelope repeated her process from the last room. She defeated the three ants and one Ceiling Creeper, beat the Shadow Demon to level, and then finished off the last of the smaller monsters.
Level 5 - Greenhorn - Experience 432/500
Speed +2, Magic +4, Recovery +2
Drinking the Mana Potions was increasing her Recovery. With the Air Pendant, she only needed one more point to gain the other two passives, so she kept the same pace for 1A. Order didn¡¯t matter here since she wasn¡¯t going to level up. Penelope took care of the Shadow Caster first, then finished off the minions with her wand.
Level 5 - Greenhorn - Experience 486/500
Speed +2, Magic +4, Recovery +2
She still needed the extra point of Recovery, so Penelope walked into 2A. She killed one of the Demonic Beetles, then the Shadow Warrior, before she finished off the rest of the monsters.
Level 6 - Greenhorn - Experience 558/600
Speed +2, Magic +5, Recovery +3
Penelope wanted to keep her Speed higher than her Recovery, which was sitting at eleven thanks to the point of Speed on the Wand, but unless she started running more, she was going to increase her Recovery too much, which would change her Mana Leech passive into something else. The Shadow Caster in 2B was as little of a problem as the previous Casters. Penelope killed all the lesser Demons first, then finished off the Demon to level. With the running around that she did, she was able to increase her Speed this time.
Level 7 - Greenhorn - Experience 612/700
Speed +3, Magic +6, Recovery +3
As many times as she¡¯d reset to get the fight in 2C down, it was like restarting an old routine. The whole thing went off without a hitch. She wasn¡¯t getting experience from the floor mobs anymore, but the ring with Speed on it was nice. 2D had been challenging because of the Shadow Knight¡¯s shield, but now that Penelope had better control over her spells, she just had to be patient and then hit it before it could bring its guard back. For 2E, she kept the shield from the last room and hid behind it while she picked off the lesser Demons. The Shadow Poisoner wasn¡¯t able to hit her with a spell, so it never closed the distance, which allowed her to back it up into the northeast corner. Once it was trapped, she burned it down before it could get clear. Penelope went back to running again for 3D. The Demonic Moles were difficult to gauge when they would pop up. She went through six resets to work out the timing better, which also helped her work her way through the other rooms faster.
Level 8 - Greenhorn - Experience 702/800This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
Speed +4, Magic +7, Recovery +3
The running helped to ensure that her Speed was the stat that got increased. Penelope had also gotten so proficient at clearing the rooms that the other group was still in 2J when she finished. Since she wasn¡¯t wounded, she kept going. 4D was still a challenge because of the Demonic Centipedes. They were durable enough that she had to hit them twice to get them off of her, but since she¡¯d been squeezing all the experience she could out of the earlier rooms, she was level eight when she walked in this time instead of almost level eight. It took her five resets to get the timing down to use a , then finish them off with a . The problem was that she still got hit, which she didn¡¯t like. Penelope reran the room twenty-three times to get the timing down so that she could sidestep the bugs and still burn them down. The gloves gave her the extra point of Magic that she needed to unlock the new class and passive upgrades. Unlike the rest of the gear that provided a bonus to damage or resistance, the gloves only had a point of Magic, but that was all she needed. Before she tried 5D, Penelope wanted to level. The Shadow Warrior in 4E was her next target. Ula¡¯s group was in 2I and Penelope was approaching her third hour of a run in the Dungeon. Now that she had the Demonic Centipedes movements down, she was able to make short work of them, and with her upgraded passive, she one-shotted the boss to level herself to nine.
Level 9 - Spellshot - Experience 810/900
Speed +5, Magic +8, Recovery +3
Penelope looked down at the special piece of gear that the Demon had dropped.
Harness of Darkness Power +1 Dark Damage +5%
The ¡°harness¡± was little more than a pair of leather straps that crisscrossed a person¡¯s chest. Penelope couldn¡¯t see Ula wearing it, especially when the grandmother wore metal armor so well. Neither was something that she was ever going to wear since she was a Caster, so Penelope threw it on her stash and filed it away as something the other team might be able to use in a keeper run. It felt like a lifetime ago when she¡¯d been dying in 5D. Penelope bounced from one foot to the other as she prepared herself for her next big challenge. Her fingers played with the strap on the back of the shield she¡¯d looted from 2D. Her turtling had worked well against the last magic user, so she didn¡¯t see a reason not to use it again. ¡°Considering how many times you¡¯ve been resetting to get a run right, I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re getting anxious now.¡± Jeru eyed her. ¡°This is as far as I¡¯ve gotten.¡± Penelope looked at the Shadow Caster in the middle of the square. ¡°The others were about getting more efficient. This is about pushing past my record.¡± The blue Elf shrugged. ¡°Even if you beat this, you¡¯re still going to reset until you get it down, so why the nerves?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She shrugged. ¡°But I¡¯m ready to try out my new spell.¡± Jeru motioned at the barrier. ¡°After you.¡± Penelope stepped through the barrier and ran towards the leader. The spiders scattered, skittering away to try to flank her. ¡°Light Barrage!¡± Four and four smaller versions formed behind her. The spell wanted to rain down on where she had been pointing, but her control allowed her to keep the balls of light hovering behind her. Penelope started moving to her right and swept her left hand in front of her, angling the shield so that her palm was pointing at the ground in front of her. ¡°Light Blast!¡± The spiders were shooting webs to try to impede her charge, but she cut through it with a wave of her hand. Two balls each sought a spider in front of her, smashing into their faces as the monsters tried to back away. DING! Experience +6 Experience +6 ¡°Behind you!¡± Penelope heeded Jeru¡¯s warning and twisted around, casting her next spell with a flick of her wand. ¡°Light Blast!¡± The Demonic Frog howled as its tongue was burned off. ¡°Light Barrage!¡± Two of the shot forward, while the other two stayed behind her. DING! Experience +6 She pulled the second one back after the frog died to the first one between its eyes. ¡°Light Blast!¡± The webbing to her left burned away. Metal shards plinked off the shield, alerting her that the Shadow Caster was close enough. Penelope flicked her wand, and the two behind her zipped towards her target while the one that was hovering over the dead frog made it first. DING! Experience +24 The Demonic Spiders hissed and charged now that their commander was dead. ¡°Light Barrage!¡± The four were enough to take down the last pair. DING! Experience +6 Experience +6 ¡°Well.¡± Penelope walked over to the pile of loot and picked up the silver robe. ¡°That was easier than I thought it was going to be.¡±
Silver Robe Magic +1 Metal Resistance +5%
She flipped the red robe that she¡¯d been wearing off and wrapped the new one over her shoulders. Penelope took a deep breath. Maybe I won¡¯t need to reset this one. Chapter 30 - Gathering Items to Trade Penelope checked the time.
Dungeon Floor 1
Time Remaining: 3:20:14:16
Ula¡¯s group was in 2H, which gave her an hour before they were going to finish the second column. It was approaching noon if Penelope¡¯s time hadn¡¯t been interrupted, and the peanuts had only taken the edge off her hunger as a replacement for breakfast. Penelope looked north at the next room. Demonic Turtles as big as her sedan and Demonic Lizards that were three feet tall at the shoulder waited for her in the next column. The Shadow Knight glared at her from behind its shield. ¡°You should work on getting food.¡± Jeru motioned at the frog. ¡°Not much on it worth eating other than the back legs, but it''s white meat.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Penelope glanced to her right and left. ¡°Is there anything else I could use in this column?¡± ¡°The archer over there has a crossbow that will shoot projectiles made out of magic.¡± The blue Elf motioned at 5E. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t seem like your combat style.¡± He gestured at 5C. ¡°A necklace over there that gives a point of Recovery and electric resistance.¡± Jeru shrugged. ¡°After that is a War Hammer and a metal helmet. Nothing really worth focusing on.¡± Penelope nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s wait on clearing anything more here until I¡¯ve got a better source of fluids.¡± She looked southeast. ¡°Which means I need to get that ring.¡± ¡°Dawson isn¡¯t going to like it.¡± The blue Elf warned. ¡°He can be very territorial about Caster gear.¡± ¡°What do you suggest?¡± She looked at the incorporeal companion. ¡°Easiest way is going to be a trade.¡± Jeru pointed southwest. ¡°There¡¯s a belt he¡¯ll want in 3B, though the knight there is going to be tough even with your torrent spell.¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to take them another hour before they finish the second column, so I¡¯ve got time.¡± She took a deep breath and started jogging towards 4C. ¡°What¡¯s special about this one?¡± Jeru floated beside her. ¡°The archer has a crossbow that fires thorns that drain your mana and give it back to the Shadow.¡± He looked over at her. ¡°I don¡¯t have to tell you that you don¡¯t want to get hit.¡± ¡°Use the shield, got it.¡± Penelope hefted the metal barrier as she moved. If her Power had been higher, she wouldn¡¯t have as much trouble carrying it, but that wasn¡¯t something she was going to be able to fix any time soon. ¡°Also, it can tank spells better than anything else you¡¯ve fought so far, so don¡¯t expect to hit it twice and win.¡± He thought for a moment. ¡°On the other hand, there are four crows, so you won¡¯t have to worry about minions as much.¡± ¡°Anything else to watch for?¡± Penelope stopped at the northeast corner of 4C. ¡°Treat it like that metal caster, and you shouldn¡¯t have a problem.¡± Penelope nodded, took a deep breath, then walked into 4C. ¡°Light Torrent!¡± Four appeared behind her as she brought the shield in front of her. The monsters seemed surprised for a moment as she approached them, then the demonic Centipede charged. A flick of her wrist was all it took to kill it with one of the . Penelope stepped to the side and hunkered behind the shield as the body of the giant bug rolled past her. CLINK! POP! Magic projectiles bounced off the shield, letting her know that she was close enough to hit the Shadow Shooter. Penelope flicked her wand again and sent the last three of her projectiles in the direction of the shooting. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Light Torrent!¡± Four more , each with their miniature copy, appeared behind her. Those she sent at the crows that were trying to get behind her. CLINK! CLINK! The birds fell out of the air as her spells connected, leaving her with only the Shadow Demon. More bolts of magic bounced off her shell as she maintained her sheltered march. A few peeks let her know that the Demon was trying to stay out of her range, like the minions in the last room, but that was just a matter of backing it up until the Shadow Shooter was out of room, then Penelope could finish it off. ROAR! The Demon charged, unleashing a barrage of shots in her direction. ¡°Light Torrent!¡± Penelope flicked her wand, sending the projectiles to intercept the advancing Demon. DING! Experience +12 The barrier to the east fell to merge with the rest of the safe zone. Penelope walked over to the loot pile and collected the potions and . She put the Healing Potion in her left pocket and the Mana Potion in her right. The and vial with the slime leftover from the Shadow Demon went on the potion sling, which she tied on her belt. It wasn¡¯t the best way to carry the extra items, but until she got a bag, it was the best system that she¡¯d found. Penelope opened her menu and looked at the weapon.
Thorn Shooter Recovery +1 Nature Damage +6% Skill: Thorns (2) - Fires a thorn made of mana. Drains the target for (1) mana
¡°Six percent?¡± Penelope looked over at Jeru. ¡°That¡¯s new.¡± ¡°The Earthen War Hammer had eight percent.¡± The blue Elf shrugged. ¡°Some gear is better than others. The belt is better than anything you¡¯ve seen so far.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why Dawson will trade the ring for it?¡± Penelope glanced east. Ula¡¯s group had just started 2G and after that they had 2F to finish all of the squares in the second column. ¡°He¡¯ll¡­¡± Jeru sighed. ¡°He¡¯ll think it¡¯s his outright because it¡¯s poison gear. It doesn¡¯t matter that it¡¯s a utility belt and not for a Caster, but he only sees the shiny and¡ª¡± ¡°Wait. A utility belt? Like with pouches?¡± Penelope stopped walking south. ¡°Your pockets will work fine; the pouches aren¡¯t that big.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Though having access to potions without having to dig for them is nice.¡± ¡°Giving it to him isn¡¯t going to come back and haunt us, is it?¡± Penelope glanced over at Ula¡¯s group, then hurried towards the barrier separating her from 3C. ¡°He¡¯s someone that I regret bringing here.¡± Jeru sighed. ¡°But I needed humans, and there were a limited number I could pull from Earth without messing up the timeline too much.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you coming back mess up the timeline?¡± The blue Elf winced. ¡°More people died when the University fell because I wasn¡¯t there, but they would have died later if this wasn¡¯t stopped.¡± He waffled his head. ¡°Messing with time is a tricky business, but there was enough chaos during the awakening that everyone I pulled here didn¡¯t change the immediate future.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying we all died.¡± Penelope paused. ¡°Wait, you said that the awakening was in five years. Did you pull us all from the present or¡ª¡± ¡°I took everyone back five years.¡± Jeru nodded. ¡°I thought about trying to pull people from the present, but that started spinning everything out of control, and I couldn¡¯t afford to waste magic to chase all of the threads.¡± ¡°So what happens if we clear the Dungeon? Our past selves are on Earth right now. Can we go back?¡± He snorted. ¡°The Demons destroyed the gate here when they launched the invasion. Even if you clear it, there isn¡¯t anyone around that is powerful enough to project off the planet until the awakening.¡± Jeru shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re stuck here until the point that I grabbed you.¡± Penelope looked at the barrier for a moment, then turned to her companion. ¡°What about you? Aren¡¯t you strong enough to¡ª?¡± The blue Elf held up his hand. ¡°This was always a one-way trip for me. I stop the universe from ending, then fade away.¡± He smirked. ¡°You¡¯ll be the hero, and I¡¯ll be the guy who just disappeared.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Penelope didn¡¯t have words to express how unfair it was. ¡°It is what it is.¡± Jeru snapped his fingers in her face. ¡°But that¡¯s years from now, so let¡¯s focus on the battle in front of us.¡± Penelope nodded. There was time for her to think about it later, but for now, she needed to work on her run. She pointed at the Caster in 3C. ¡°What¡¯s this one do?¡± ¡°Shadow Buffer, but not much in the way of resistances other than being able to give allies Steelskin.¡± He twirled his finger in the air. ¡°Everything in here is going to be harder to kill, but other than that, avoid the and you¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Another shield fight¡­¡± Penelope hoisted the shield. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose there is a shield that gives bonuses I could use?¡± Jeru shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s one, but I doubt Patrick is going to let you have it, especially since it¡¯s on their side.¡± ¡°Gotcha.¡± Penelope pulled out her wand. ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡± Chapter 31 - Mamozin The ground shook the moment she walked in. There were three Demonic Grasshoppers, which meant two moles were under her feet. The oversized bugs turned a shiny silver and fanned out their wings as Penelope started running to her right. She didn¡¯t want to have the Demonic Moles behind her while she was fighting the other minions. ¡°Light Torrent!¡± Four appeared behind her as she ran. Penelope would peek around the shield to see if the bugs had gotten in range, but so far they were just fanning out while the Shadow Buffer moved towards her. ¡°NOW!¡± ¡°LIGHT BURST!¡± Penelope fired off the area of effect spell like her Elf parasite had directed. Thinking about him as anything else at the moment would distract her with the weight of what waited for him at the end. Thankfully, Jeru didn¡¯t comment on the turmoil in her mind. ¡°Again!¡± ¡°LIGHT BURST!¡± ¡°The moles are dead. Focus on what¡¯s in front of you, and you¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Penelope didn¡¯t bother looking behind her, trusting the Elf to watch her back. Now that the moles were taken care of, she could start advancing without having to worry about getting attacked from both sides. She flicked her wand, sending a pair of at the two closest grasshoppers, while the third one jumped high. ¡°Light¡­¡± Plink Plink Plink Penelope pulled the shield close and hunched behind it. The last minion landed on the shield, knocking her down under the metal protection. ¡°LIGHT BURST! LIGHT BURST!¡± The weight on top of her increased as the monster turned into dead weight. Plink Plink Penelope struggled to get her arm out from under the shield and pointed it at the approaching Demon. ¡°LIGHT TORRENT!¡± The four shot out of the tip of her wand, followed by their clones. The Shadow Buffer backed out of their range, stopping a few feet away from them as the orbs of light hung in the air. Penelope pulled her knees into her chest to help slide the heavy monster off of her. The effort was compounded with her having to split her focus to keep the from winking out. The corpse had managed to grab onto the edge of her shield and wasn¡¯t going to be moved off the metal protection without serious effort. Penelope angled the shield to the side and wiggling out from under it. The Shadow Buffer stood at the edge of her range and watched her as she scooted on her back out from underneath the shield. She inched her feet against the back of the shield until she reached the edge, then kicked off as hard as she could and rolled out from under the heavy corpse. ROAR! The Shadow Buffer was covered in the same silver substance that had been protecting the minions. It flicked one of the orbs away, then ran towards her. Metal shards appeared in front of its hand and shot through the distance between them.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°LIGHT BEAM!¡± Penelope threw out her left hand and fired the beam from her palm while she twisted the wand through the air like she was a conductor keeping time for the choir of Demons. Light splayed out in every direction as the beam split and reflected off the shiny surface. Metal shards hit the robe as Penelope stood, keeping her focus on the approaching Demon. The beam focused on the center of the Demon¡¯s chest while the balls of light rammed into its back. A few shards managed to hit her in the face, and one buried itself in her cheek. The barrier to the north and east dropped, letting her know that the monster with a hole in its chest was dead. Penelope closed her eyes as she slowed her breathing. Her arms dropped to her side, and she sank to the ground after she slid the wand into her belt. ¡°I need a better helmet.¡± She pinched the metal stuck in her cheek and wiggled it out. ¡°Something with a visor to protect my face.¡± ¡°It amazes me how you¡¯re able to just block out pain like that.¡± Jeru shook his head. ¡°The only Demons with helmets like that are the Tanks.¡± Sympathy covered his face as he motioned at the silver grasshopper on the shield. ¡°You¡¯re already having trouble carrying one piece of Tank gear; you think you¡¯ll be able to handle a second?¡± Penelope pulled out a Healing Potion and downed the spicy liquid. ¡°It¡¯s better than losing an eye.¡± ¡°The potion can repair that.¡± Jeru winced at her scowl. ¡°But protection might be better to prioritize.¡± He looked around the floor. ¡°There¡¯s something in 6C, but it¡¯s more of a circlet than a helmet.¡± The Elf snapped his fingers. ¡°There¡¯s a Shadow Caster in 9F that has an actual helmet made for Casters, but that¡¯s at the end.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Sorry, there¡¯s not much selection on the first floor.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be able to get craftsmen to make you gear once you start interacting with the locals, but you need to get strong enough for the Authority to see you as someone useful instead of someone that they need to detain or protect.¡± Jeru shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know how many times I sat in that detention cell because Karen spent the majority of her time arguing with Elves about why they needed to join her party and go into the Dungeon.¡± ¡°Ouch.¡± Penelope started pushing on the dead grasshopper. ¡°It¡¯ll be easier if you wait until the spell wears off.¡± The blue Elf nodded to the west. ¡°You won¡¯t need the shield for the next square, and you¡¯ll get another one there anyway.¡± Penelope nodded. She checked her mana as she walked over to 3B. She recovered all of her mana in just over 21 minutes. That rate was halved while she was in combat, but since it was taking her about 15 minutes per fight and 5 minutes to pick up loot, compose herself, and get to the next place, she was passively recovering 36 mana from the start of one fight until the start of another. She was almost full again by the time she reached the barrier. Penelope had only used 38 mana in the last fight. cost 8 mana to use and was worth four spells, making it by far the best weapon she had. would deal more damage per point of mana used, but it required a target that wasn¡¯t moving around. ¡°Let¡¯s do this so we can deal with Dawson.¡± Penelope gripped her wand and walked through the barrier. 3B had the same minion distribution that the previous room had, and her strategy was the same. Start running to stay ahead of the moles, kill the grasshoppers, then deal with the Demon. ¡°Light Torrent!¡± Penelope sent a at each of the three grasshoppers while she charged the boss. ¡°Light Torrent!¡± Five orbs of light hovered behind her while the three grasshoppers died. Penelope was waiting for Jeru¡¯s warning to deal with the moles, so she kept her focus on the Shadow Knight. The Demon had a large shield, but this one¡¯s weapon of choice was a one-handed hammer. It hid behind the shield as it rushed towards her faster than any of the other Knights had been able to move. A flick of her wand sent three of the projectiles behind the Demon. Another flick slammed them into its back. The armor and weapons fell in a pile as the Shadow Knight died. Her level was too high for her to even get any experience from a level three elite, but she wasn¡¯t going to complain about easier fights. ¡°Behind you.¡± Penelope spun around and swiped her wand at the remaining monsters, casting the area of effect spell. The moles died where they had exited the stone, and the barrier to the south and east came down. ¡°Now¡­¡± Penelope walked over to the item pile and picked out the potions, harvested the , and scanned the belt.
Mamozin Defense +1 Aura +1 Poison Damage +15% Skill: Fear - Cause targets to run from you. Item Passive: Bottomless Pockets - Any item that can fit inside one of the pockets can be stored inside.
¡°We¡¯re giving this to him?¡± Penelope looked over at the Elf. ¡°This would make carrying around all of those potions and vials so much easier!¡± Jeru shrugged. ¡°You wanted to know what you could trade to take possession of the ice or water rings.¡± He motioned at the belt. ¡°This is it.¡± Penelope held onto the belt for a moment, then slid it up her right arm and synched it on her shoulder. ¡°Well¡­¡± She turned to look at the other group. They had just finished 2F and were walking in her direction. ¡°I guess it¡¯s time to start cooking.¡± Chapter 32 - Our New Normal Penelope brought the shield with her to the one with the grasshopper on it. The monster was no longer silver and was a lot easier to shove off of the metal. Ula waved at her as the group approached. ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve been busy.¡± The tanned grandmother smiled. ¡°Thanks for the gear, Sweetie. I don¡¯t know if we would have survived our first fight without it.¡± The older woman looked around. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you do it by yourself.¡± ¡°I can clear the first room without going inside, and that gives me two levels. After that, I¡¯m higher level than everything, so it¡¯s just a matter of mana management.¡± Penelope swallowed and turned to the pile of gear that she had been moving around. ¡°This is all stuff I can¡¯t use, if you want any of it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to¡ª.¡± ¡°The ring is mine!¡± Dawson ran over to the pile. Penelope looked at the pile of items. Everything except Mamozin had gone into the pile.
Leg Guards Power +1 Earth Resistance +5% Thorn Shooter Recovery +1 Nature Damage +6% Skill: Thorns (2) - Shoots a thorn made of mana. Drains the target for (1) mana Silver Ring Aura +1 Metal Damage +5%
Harness of Darkness Power +1 Dark Damage +5% Earthen War Hammer Power +2 Earth Damage +8% Stone¡¯s Throw: Throws the War Hammer to deal 200% Earth Damage Short Sword of Power Power +1
She had thought for a moment about keeping the hand crossbow, but she wasn¡¯t going to use it over her spells, and Marlow was trying to use a bow, so that would help him out when he wasn¡¯t casting healing spells on the group. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Ula picked up the War Hammer. ¡°This is a really good weapon.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t use it, and I won¡¯t be able to sell it until after we kill the floor boss.¡± Penelope shrugged as she picked up the short sword and hacked into the leg of the closest Demonic Mole. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Patrick looked away from the items. There wasn¡¯t anything there that he could use. ¡°What do you mean ¡®until after we kill the floor boss¡¯?¡± Marlow stopped inspecting the weapon to focus on her. Concern covered the gentle mid-forties man¡¯s face.Stolen novel; please report. ¡°Oh¡­ um.¡± Penelope swallowed. ¡°I thought we¡¯d need to eat.¡± ¡°You think I¡¯m going to eat that?¡± Dawson glared at her. ¡°We¡¯ll probably get sick if we try to eat it raw.¡± Patrick walked over to the mole drumstick and touched two fingers to the bloody meat, then smelled his fingers. ¡°Yeah, definitely will make us sick.¡± ¡°I can cook it.¡± Penelope held out her hand. ¡°Light Beam.¡± She focused on controlling the intensity and the range so that it shot only a foot out of her palm. She looked away as she dismissed the spell. ¡°I can use the shield as a stovetop; I just need someone to cut them into steaks.¡± The other people just stared at her for a moment until Ula clapped her hands. ¡°You were complaining about being hungry an hour ago!¡± The grandmother pulled a dagger out of her belt. ¡°I¡¯ll do the butchering. Marlow, you bring the meat to her. Patrick, help me move these monsters around. Dawson¡ª.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not touching that!¡± The young man sliced his hands in front of him. ¡°Let me know if it works.¡± Ula shook her head as he walked away. ¡°Sorry about him, Sweetie. He¡¯s a good kid, just opinionated sometimes.¡± Penelope shrugged. ¡°We don¡¯t really need him.¡± Her eyes lit up. ¡°Oh yeah! I killed a big frog over there.¡± She pointed north. ¡°I don¡¯t know if there is anything we can eat on it but the legs, but it would be white meat.¡± ¡°I love frog legs!¡± The older woman smiled. ¡°Once Patrick helps me move these moles, he can go get them.¡± ¡°I can?¡± The stocky man wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. ¡°You¡¯re not going to be doing anything once we get the moles closer to the holes.¡± Ula looked at the two older men. ¡°Unless you want to switch jobs with Marlow, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll be able to carry them as well as you can.¡± The two men exchanged a look. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Patrick grumbled. ¡°I¡¯ll go get your frog legs.¡± ¡°Great!¡± The grandmother sliced off the skin, deboned it, then tossed the quarters onto the shield. ¡°There¡¯s you some to start with. Now come on.¡± Penelope recast and started cooking. Her bonus from the Cook job gave every steak a bonus, though she didn¡¯t get as much experience for the job as she had before. ¡°That¡¯s because after a while you aren¡¯t learning anything new; you¡¯re just going through the motions of what you already know.¡± She nodded and continued grilling. Once Patrick made it back with the pair of frog legs, the three older people went west to the group that Penelope had most recently finished. They finished butchering the legs from the two moles over there, then they brought the meat back. ¡°We need to find a water source.¡± Ula sat down across from Penelope. ¡°If we¡¯d known we were going to be trapped down here, then Marlow would have taken water as his affinity, but we didn¡¯t.¡± The older woman eyed the younger one. ¡°You look like a natural flipping the steaks with that dagger. You work as a cook at a restaurant? Penelope shook her head. ¡±I guess I¡¯ve grilled enough, and this isn¡¯t that much different.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± The older woman looked over at the two older men who were talking about how they should dissect the monsters. She turned back to Penelope. "Earlier, you said that we could leave once we defeated the floor boss. Why do you think that?¡± Penelope swallowed. ¡°Whenever we beat a square, the barrier between the safe zone and the cleared square disappears. If the floor boss is the main thing that is being kept on the first floor, then it sounds like we should be able to leave before we go down to the next floor.¡± She shrugged. ¡°I can¡¯t believe the person who made this place would create a system where we¡¯d be just as trapped as the monsters and unable to get out to resupply.¡± ¡°HEY! I didn¡¯t think that humans would be crazy enough to charge into a Dungeon without bringing supplies!¡± Penelope focused her thoughts on her invisible companion. Then why didn¡¯t you set up a way for them to get supplies? There was silence for a moment, which was enough time for the other woman to continue her side of the conversation. ¡°That¡¯s a good point!¡± Ula smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t know how much you¡¯ve made my day, sweetie!¡± She looked over the other woman. ¡°You¡¯re a pretty sharp one. You know, we¡¯d love to have you join us.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Penelope flipped a steak and looked over at the younger man. ¡°But I don¡¯t think Dawson shares that opinion.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him!¡± Ula waved the comment away. ¡°He just doesn¡¯t know how to act in front of a pretty girl like yourself. Give him some time to get to know you, and I¡¯m sure the two of you will get along like two peas in a pod.¡± Penelope blushed, and her stomach turned at the idea. ¡°If you think so.¡± She focused on her cooking. She had managed to get the mana consumption down low enough that she wasn¡¯t using mana any faster than she was spending it. For fighting a monster, it wouldn¡¯t be very effective, but for maintaining heat, it was more than enough. ¡°Oh, no reason to get embarrassed. Not much else to do down here other than fighting.¡± The grandmother nodded at the other two men. ¡°And I haven¡¯t decided which one of them I want yet, but I¡¯ll let you know when I figure it out.¡± She winked. ¡°Um¡­¡± Penelope swallowed as she tried to process what the other woman was implying. ¡°Thanks, but I¡¯m not thinking about anything like that. I just want to clear the Dungeon so I can go back home to my life.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ula waved her hands around. ¡°We¡¯re on another planet somewhere out in space. There was an ELF talking to us! How can you go back to your life after seeing all of this?¡± Penelope opened her mouth but closed it without speaking. ¡°See, Sweetie?¡± The older woman smiled. ¡°There¡¯s no going back even if you do get back.¡± She tilted her head. ¡°Might as well start thinking about what our new normal is.¡± Chapter 33 - You Have to Join a Team They ate a meal, then kept cooking for the rest of the afternoon. The water problem was something that impacted everyone. Penelope knew the other group didn¡¯t have a solution, but she didn¡¯t want to tell them about the rings just yet. Once she¡¯d finished cooking, she had taken her share of a dozen steaks and made her way over to the barrier between 3A and 3B. ¡°Are you really going to keep going?¡± Jeru appeared in front of her. ¡°You don¡¯t want to pass out like last time.¡± ¡°Last time I was trying a harder square and was a lower level.¡± Penelope looked east, where the other group was making camp. ¡°We need to clear twenty-five squares a day.¡± ¡°Which you have.¡± The blue Elf folded his arms in front of him. ¡°Yes, but they aren¡¯t doing any more today, and if things start getting harder, then we¡¯re going to need the extra time.¡± She hefted the shield on her left arm. ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t think I could sleep right now anyway.¡± ¡°Fine, just be careful.¡± Jeru vanished. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know when the mole surfaces.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Penelope took a deep breath, then walked into the square. ¡°Light Torrent!¡± Plink! Plink! The Shadow Shooter was hitting from farther away than everything else had been able to attack her. The shield kept the fiery darts off of her as she charged. The four grasshoppers jumped at her, but a flick of her wand sent a at each one. The monsters landed on the cold stone floor and rolled around her as she continued her charge towards the main Demon. ¡°Light Torrent!¡± Penelope kept moving as she kept the shield in front of her. The four floated behind her as they waited to be released. CRASH! One of the orbs shattered like glass and winked out. Penelope stopped moving and pulled the remaining three behind the shield with her. ¡°Jeru, what¡¯s going on?¡± She glanced behind her. The ground had stopped shaking, giving her no indication about how close the mole was to her. ¡°This one is a sniper.¡± The Elf sounded impressed as he appeared beside her. ¡°I don¡¯t know how I missed that.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know how you forgot that the Demon out there could destroy spells?¡± Penelope grumbled. ¡°Just your ball-type spells are going to be hit.¡± Jeru shrugged. ¡°Something like your bolt or beam would reach it without getting broken.¡± PLINK! PLINK! Penelope started to peek around the side of the shield. Pain erupted above her right eye as her head snapped back. She almost dropped the shield and did drop her wand as she cowered behind the metal barrier and touched her forehead. Blood wet the tips of her gloves, though not much. Despite the impact, the projectile hadn¡¯t cut her much more than a scratch. ¡°Great.¡± Penelope grabbed the shield and scooted over to retrieve her dropped weapon. ¡°How do I hit something that I can¡¯t see?¡± ¡°Just keep going until you box it in, then blast it once you¡¯re close enough.¡± Jeru leaned forward to look at the injury. ¡°A little different angle, and that would have been a reset.¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Penelope pulled a Healing Potion out of her pocket and bit down on the lid. ¡°It¡¯s not bad enough to use one of those.¡± The blue Elf shook his head. ¡°But you got lucky.¡± ¡°Go me.¡± She put the unused vial back into her left pocket. ¡°Do you know how close the mole is?¡± Jeru shook his head, snapped his fingers, then floated about fifty feet behind her. ¡°It was right here the last time I felt it move.¡± Her heart thundered in her ears as fear gripped her. Penelope grabbed the shield and ran southwest as fast as she could. Her feet were exposed, and she got clipped once as she closed the distance, but she managed not to drop her metal protection. ¡°They can¡¯t move that quietly.¡± Jeru admonished her. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Penelope stopped 150 feet from the southwest corner. ¡°Why else would it be trying to keep me from moving?¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking why a sadistic entity would want to play with you?¡± Jeru appeared beside her. ¡°You realize that the answer to that is in the question, right?¡± She took a few deep breaths to slow her breathing. ¡°Can you tell me where this is?¡± He peeked around the side of the shield. ¡°It¡¯s moving north along the west wall.¡± Penelope swallowed. ¡°Light Torrent.¡± Four more joined the two main ones she had. At some point in her running, one of them had gotten broken. Her left hand gripped the strap on the back of the shield tighter as she steadied her breathing, then she charged. PLINK! PLINK! PLINK! PLINK! ¡°It¡¯s close enough!¡± Penelope twirled the wand and released the six , turning how the incorporeal Elf next to her pointed. She stuck the tip of the wand around the side of the shield and tried to aim. ¡°LIGHT BEAM!¡± PLINK! PLINK! Jeru motioned with his arms how she needed to turn the tip of the wand, then waved his arms and started pointing behind her. The Demonic Mole had surfaced. Despite the speed that the large monster could move underground, it was going to take more than ten seconds to clear the hundred feet between them. This was more than enough time for Penelope to turn the beam shooting out of the tip of her wand in that direction. The monster collapsed the moment the beam connected with its head, dropping like the barrier. ¡°Well¡­¡± Jeru looked around. ¡°That was something I haven¡¯t seen before.¡± ¡°You never realized that this Demon could shoot farther than normal?¡± Penelope loosened the larger strap on the back of the shield and slipped it over her head, then tightened the strap to hold it in place. ¡°Do you know how many loopers have tried to run this thing solo?¡± The blue Elf floated next to her as she walked over to the item pile. ¡°I didn¡¯t even try this by myself, and I could destroy entire floors of this thing with a single spell!¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying that I should join Ula¡¯s group?¡± Penelope opened her menu to scan the items. She stopped at the hand crossbow.
Flame Hand Crossbow Aura +1 Fire Damage +5%
¡°I¡¯m not saying you should.¡± Jeru sighed. ¡°I¡¯m saying you¡¯re going to have to.¡± He motioned at the Dungeon. ¡°Right now there are six Demons in a room. You can take six party members in a square.¡± He turned to her. ¡°Want to take a guess as to how many Demons there are in a square on the second floor?¡± ¡°Twelve?¡± Penelope picked up the potions and harvested the . ¡°Twenty-four.¡± He corrected her. ¡°I was able to limit the Demons by power, but it was power per square. Each floor gets larger while staying a ten-by-ten grid.¡± The Elf pointed along the west wall. ¡°The first floor is a mile wide; the second floor is two miles.¡± Jeru turned back to her. ¡°But the barrier will only let six people through within a square¡¯s length.¡± He motioned with his hands. ¡°Each group has to be at least five hundred thirty feet away from where another group went through the barrier.¡± Penelope stood up and swallowed. ¡°So only two groups can go into a room to start with on the second floor?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± He touched the tips of his fingers together to make a ring. ¡°This is also one of the only floors that is completely open. Most of the floors have corridors, tunnels, or rooms. The whole thing becomes a maze, and you¡¯re limited on how many people you can send in, but the Demons can all gang up on an entry point and ambush you. You¡¯re struggling against six. How are you going to handle six-hundred on the last floor?¡± Penelope took a deep breath and looked over at the other group. ¡°I¡¯ll figure something out.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not ready to team up right now; maybe after a few days around them, I¡¯ll feel more comfortable.¡± ¡°You want to use your resets to acclimate to them.¡± Jeru clicked his tongue. ¡°You know that they aren¡¯t going to remember you?¡± Penelope sighed. ¡°I know, but... that¡¯s what I have to work with.¡± ¡°Does that mean you want to reset so you can mingle?¡± Penelope closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then shook her head. ¡°No, not yet.¡± Chapter 34 - Painful Memories 4A was the next target. Penelope was still able to clear the rooms on her own, and she was going to keep making progress while she could. Penelope looked at the clock on her menu. ¡°Jeru, is there a way for you to add what time it would be if I hadn¡¯t been kidnapped?¡± The blue Elf floated in front of her. ¡°You ask me for a favor and insult me in the same breath?¡± The insulted look on his face cracked, giving way to a smirk. ¡°I could always have let you die instead.¡± ¡°Death or torture, you make a hard choice.¡± ¡°Think of this as an adventure.¡± Jeru chuckled. ¡°You know, in my time, people paid lots of money to go to a world with an active system.¡± He gestured at her. ¡°Not many people have magic or can get stronger than what you¡¯ll see on the third floor. You should be thanking me for saving your life and giving you this opportunity.¡± ¡°If I survive, I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Penelope motioned at the timer. ¡°Can you do something about this?¡± ¡°Fine.¡± He waved his hand. ¡°There.¡±
Dungeon Floor 1 - Day 1 - 6:30pm
Time Remaining: 3:13:26:16
¡°Almost three hours.¡± Penelope shook her head as she looked over at the other group. Dawson had refused to fight anymore today. Patrick was busy butchering the monsters, which left Marlow and Ula as the two who had considered continuing, but they¡¯d decided against it. Ula was a melee fighter, but she wouldn¡¯t be able to hold aggro once Marlow started healing. If the pair had tried the room that Penelope had just cleared, the Healer would have been sniped, and then Ula would have been shot down before she could have gotten close enough to deal with the Shadow Sniper. Penelope didn¡¯t blame them for stopping, but she also didn¡¯t want to get behind even though they were on track to finish the floor with what they had done today. She walked over to the barrier between 3A and 4A. ¡°Any surprises for this one?¡± She looked at the Shadow Caster. Electricity crackled on the Demon¡¯s arms. Its yellow eyes were locked onto her as it waited for her to enter. The monsters were staying just outside her range as they watched her prepare to walk in. ¡°That¡¯s a Buffer, not a Caster.¡± Jeru thought for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ve seen it use and , so try not to get too close to it.¡± Penelope loosened the strap on the shield so she could take it off her back. ¡°The spell will affect anything that it hits.¡± He pointed at the large metal barrier. ¡°If it hits your shield, it¡¯ll still shock you.¡± ¡°So don¡¯t use the shield.¡± Penelope set the item down. ¡°What¡¯s the range?¡± ¡°Same as other spells.¡± Jeru stroked his chin. ¡°You¡¯ll build up a tolerance the more you get hit, but once you¡¯re immobilized, the monsters will be able to finish you off.¡± ¡°Does it know any offensive magic?¡± Jeru shrugged. ¡°Not that I¡¯ve seen, but it¡¯s a level four Demon, so I¡¯d expect it to have four different spells.¡± Penelope nodded. ¡°So it has two unknown spells. Can I still cast while I¡¯m stunned?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t aim.¡± ¡°But I can still cast?¡± Her mind began going through her options. ¡°It¡¯s already seen you use ; it¡¯s not going to get close enough for you to kill it with that. If you don¡¯t kill it as soon as you get in range, then it will keep refreshing the stun until you die of dehydration.¡± Jeru shook his head. ¡°They can afford to run out the clock; you can¡¯t.¡±This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is that it¡¯s impossible to do solo.¡± Penelope tightened her grip on her wand. ¡°It¡¯s doable, but how many resets are you willing to go through until you get the timing right?¡± Jeru sighed as he recognized the look on her face. ¡°You know it would be a lot easier if you¡¯d walk over to Ula and ask her if she¡¯d like to join you. Spoiler alert: she will.¡± Penelope¡¯s heart clenched at the idea. It wasn¡¯t that Ula gave her a bad vibe; it was that everyone made her feel uncomfortable. She had never understood how people could be so comfortable around strangers or in a group of more than two people. It had taken her years to reach a point where she didn¡¯t dissolve into a full-blown panic attack while in a crowd. The years of taunts hadn¡¯t helped, or people who demanded that she ¡®just be normal like everyone else¡¯. The worst part was being called a retard or a freak because she would freeze up in a group. Her pale cheeks started burning as she recalled the number of times that she¡¯d been slapped for not looking an authority figure in the eye. Which is how she¡¯d gotten so good at looking at someone¡¯s nose or cheekbone, so they didn¡¯t notice that she wasn¡¯t making eye contact. ¡°Whoa!¡± Jeru vanished. ¡°I did not see that in your memories.¡± Penelope shrugged. ¡°It is what it is. It was the time that I grew up in where those were acceptable methods for training someone like me.¡± She gritted her teeth as she willed the memories away. ¡°But it taught me how to keep trying until I found a way to make it work.¡± ¡°You need a minute? You know you don¡¯t have to push yourself like this.¡± Penelope shook her head. ¡°You¡¯ve already noticed that my mind never shuts off. Even if I¡¯m not hammering away at these fights, I¡¯m going to be thinking about them. Trying to work out the best way to go through them.¡± She sighed as she glanced at Ula¡¯s group. ¡°Tell me, what are the chances that this is the keeper run for this floor?¡± Jeru snorted in her mind. ¡°Considering you¡¯re not going to save it until you get all seven of them through? Penelope allowed herself to smile. ¡°See, so I¡¯ve got plenty of time to work on my social skills.¡± She turned back to the room. ¡°Right now, I need to focus on this square.¡± ¡°I guess that means I¡¯m pretty special since you¡¯re able to talk to me so easily.¡± Jeru teased. Penelope shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re in my head, and I can¡¯t get you out. You¡¯re going to hear my thoughts anyway.¡± She suppressed a shiver. ¡°It¡¯s unnerving, yes, but it helps thinking about you as a computer system.¡± ¡°Ouch. That¡¯s all I am to you? A voice for your computer?¡± The insulted tone in his voice was too fake to take seriously. ¡°I said it helps.¡± Penelope sighed. ¡°You probably noticed I still don¡¯t look you in the eye.¡± The silence announced one of the rare times that Jeru didn¡¯t have a comeback. ¡°Sorry.¡± She swallowed. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean¡ª.¡± ¡°I know how you meant it.¡± Pain laced every word. ¡°I¡¯m actually kind of happy that you don¡¯t... my eyes... well, it¡¯s not something that I¡¯m proud of.¡± Penelope scrunched her brows. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The color of an Elf¡¯s eyes lets others know what power they have. The Elementalists all have their own color: silver for air, red for fire, brown for earth, and blue for water. Elves with magic have gold eyes, while those without any powers have white eyes.¡± There was a long pause. Penelope tried to think back to when she¡¯d seen his face and noticed his eyes. She¡¯d looked up at him on her first real loop. ¡°What do black eyes mean?¡± ¡°It means¡­¡± Shame mixed with the pain in his voice. ¡°I didn¡¯t have enough magic to create a loop, so I tapped into the incursion itself and used it to fuel the loops. But the incursion is made out of demonic magic and when an Elf touches that power¡­¡± ¡°Oh.¡± There was a long, uncomfortable silence. ¡°I¡¯d do it again, and marring myself like that is a small price to pay for all of the lives that will be saved when this works.¡± Jeru paused again. ¡°My dad tried so hard to create a universe where I wouldn¡¯t have to taint myself with dark magic. Three hundred years of fighting, and in the end, I used it anyway.¡± ¡°From what you¡¯ve said about your dad, I don¡¯t think he¡¯d be disappointed in you.¡± Jeru snorted. ¡°That¡¯s the thing. I know he¡¯d be okay with it. He understood the greater good and taking the darkness on yourself so others didn¡¯t have to. That¡¯s part of what makes it even harder. Because I know that if he had a chance to talk to me after this was all over, he¡¯d be proud of what I did even though I¡¯d never be able to go home.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± But that¡¯s got nothing to do with what you¡¯re doing now. It sounded like Jeru clapped his hands. You¡¯ve got a room to clear. A warmth spread on her shoulder as the incorporeal Elf put his hand on her shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s see how many times it takes you to figure out this fight.¡± Chapter 35 - Level 10 The answer was three. Each version of the fight was the same. Penelope walked through the barrier and cast . The moment that the three Demonic Centipedes got close enough for her to hit, she blasted each one with a , then recast . The Demonic Crows always waited until she was almost in range of the Shadow Buffer before they attacked. The first attempt, Penelope had to sidestep a dead crow, which diverted her focus from the Demon and earned her a stun. The second attempt, she was already moving but missed the Shadow Demon with the first and got hit. The third attempt, she tried something different. Penelope pushed the to the edge of her control before she started advancing. One of the crows was able to suicide into two of the balls, but that left her with three main ones, which was more than enough to kill the Demon once she chased it into the corner. DING! Experience +12 Penelope picked up the yellow robe and scanned it with her menu. After she looted the potions and harvested the .
Conductive Robe Aura +1 Electric Resistance +5%
¡°Dawson equipment.¡± She shook her head. Penelope tucked the gear under her arm as she walked back to collect her shield. ¡°Poison is based on your recovery stat.¡± Jeru shook his head. ¡°Which means two of the guys need Recovery gear since Dawson isn¡¯t learning any other debuffing skills.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± Penelope shook her head. ¡°So he¡¯s got a poison ability, and then what? More poison?¡± ¡°The system gives out skills on level-ups based on how a person uses the skills. Since Dawson likes to poison things, all of his skills lean into that; he gets poison affinity spells and spells that increase poison damage.¡± Jeru smirked. ¡°Which, I guess, would use the Aura.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t more Aura mean a wider area?¡± Jeru snorted. ¡°If you were the Tank, would you want someone throwing poison over a wide area that you were standing in?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t stand in green stuff.¡± Penelope quoted a variation of one of the MMO gamer rules. ¡°Exactly!¡± Jeru floated beside her. ¡°Anyway. 3B will be easy. The Shadow Warrior has a War Hammer, so you can take it out before it gets close. Three crows, two bugs, easy fight.¡± Penelope walked up to the barrier between 3A and 3B. She set the folded robe down, then walked into the square. The monsters charged at her. She shook her head. ¡°Light Torrent! Light Torrent!¡± One hit each minion, and the remaining three hit the Demon. DING! Experience +12 You are now Level Ten Stats increased: Power +1, Magic +1 You have learned: Expert Light Affinity It would take longer for her to walk to the loot pile than the fight lasted. Before she walked over, Penelope turned around and picked up the robe for Dawson and her shield. ¡°I got a passive this time?¡± ¡°About that¡­¡± Jeru flashed her a Cheshire smile. ¡°Check your menu.¡±
Penelope Flynn
Level 10 - Spellshot
Experience 900/ ¨C
Stamina 46/46
Mana 74/74
5 Power 3 Defense 13+2 Speed
19+4 Magic 9+2 Recovery 3 Aura
Air Damage +5%Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Nature Damage +5% Water Damage +5% Fire Resistance 5% Metal Resistance +5% Poison Resistance +5%
¡°Why is there a dash for how much experience I need to level?¡± Penelope closed the menu. ¡°And why did I get Power?¡± Jeru motioned at the shield that she had slung on her back. ¡°You¡¯ve been lugging around that thing and relying on it more than anything else to get you through the fights. You need more Power to use it better.¡± The smile spread across his face again. ¡°And you can¡¯t gain any more experience because there¡¯s nothing strong enough here to level you.¡± He shook his head. ¡°You won¡¯t gain any more experience until you go to the second floor.¡± ¡°But we still have three-quarters of this floor to clear!¡± ¡°And you did it by yourself.¡± Jeru snorted. ¡°Which is why you¡¯re at max level and they¡¯re almost level four. Speaking of¡­¡± Clap. Clap. Clap. Ula was clapping as she walked towards Penelope. Marlow was following behind the grandmother. There was nothing but awe on the older man¡¯s face as he looked over at Penelope. ¡°Sweetie, you made that look like you¡¯ve done it a hundred times.¡± Ula chuckled. ¡°Were you some kind of Elf in a past life?¡± Penelope smiled. ¡°No, I guess I played too many FPS games.¡± She motioned towards the loot pile. ¡°You can have the belt. I can¡¯t use them, and all I want are the potions.¡± The older woman nodded, and Marlow hurried over to the pile of items. He picked up the sling of potions and the belt, then hurried over to Ula and gave both items to her. ¡°This is a pretty nice item.¡± The Hispanic woman looked at the younger woman as she held out the sling of potions. ¡°Are you sure you can¡¯t use it?¡± ¡°A point of Power would help you lug that shield around better.¡± Jeru chimed in. ¡°Though you¡¯ll get one that¡¯s better for you in a while.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± Penelope took the potions and put them in the appropriate pockets. She smiled as she looked at the two older people. ¡°Can I help you?¡± ¡°You look like you¡¯re going to keep going at this, and we¡¯re not doing anything.¡± Ula smiled. ¡°I thought I¡¯d see if you would mind if we tagged along with you.¡± Penelope bit her cheek as she thought about their offer. ¡°I mean, it doesn¡¯t look like you need our help, but I do hate sitting around doing nothing.¡± The older woman¡¯s smile somehow spread wider. ¡°Would that be okay?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Penelope sighed. ¡°I guess it¡¯s time I partied up.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Jeru choked somehow while in her mind. ¡°I thought you¡¯d hold out a lot longer.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Ula turned east. ¡°Do you want to finish the 3s, or start on the 4s?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m going to start over.¡± The tan woman turned around. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Jeru.¡± Penelope sat down. ¡°What are you¡ª?¡± Blinding light burned away Ula¡¯s question. Penelope blinked as she started back over in the square. She allowed herself a second to orient herself, then started moving through the crowd towards the Dungeon. ¡°Are you sure about this? That was a pretty good run.¡± Penelope shook her head. I can¡¯t keep doing runs I know I¡¯m not going to keep. You¡¯re right; that was a good run, but I was going to restart anyway because I want to find a way to get all eight of us out of the first floor alive. I can¡¯t do that if I¡¯m starting with half the party dead.¡± Right, but you know the experience is going to be off. You¡¯ll split what you¡¯ve been keeping for yourself. Jeru sighed. Also, you¡¯re going to have to work with the team, and that means sharing items. Whoever you join is going to already have a Caster on their team. Penelope marched through the portal and ran over to 1D. She dropped her peanuts and soda on the safe side of the barrier. ¡°I can clear the first two before Oakley¡¯s team gets here.¡± She stepped through the barrier, took a deep breath, and shouted out her most basic spell, , seven times, targeting three of the ants and the leader. DING! Experience +30 Experience +30 Experience +30 Experience +72 You are now Level Two Stats increased: Speed +1, Magic +1 You have learned: Light Arc Three casts of her newest spell was all it took to finish off the other two monsters. DING! Experience +24 Experience +24 You are now Level Three Stats increased: Speed +1, Magic +1 You have learned: Light Ball New Class Unlocked! Caster -> Greenhorn New Passive Unlocked! Doublecast Penelope snatched up the potion sling as she ran for 1C. ¡°I just need to point them at 2D.¡± She was back to fourteen mana. The ants still took two spells to kill, but the caterpillars only took one. Penelope had three casts, then she¡¯d have to take the potion. Penelope pulled the lid off the Mana Potion as she charged through the barrier. She fired two at the closest Demonic Ant and one at the closest Ceiling Creeper. DING! Experience +24 Experience +24 Penelope downed the metallic liquid as she ran to avoid the air spells. She¡¯d taken down an ant and a caterpillar, then turned her attention to the remaining ants. They each took two spells to kill, so she fired a pair of at each one. DING! Experience +24 Experience +24 ¡°Four shots in the boss¡­¡± Penelope muttered as she fired four at the Shadow Caster. DING! Experience +60 You are now Level Four Stats increased: Recovery +1, Magic +1 You have learned: Light Bolt Penelope looked up at the last monster in the square. A single was all it took to drop it from the ceiling. DING! Experience +18 Loot had to wait because Oakley¡¯s group had just entered the Dungeon. Penelope turned around and ran as fast as she could through 1D to head them off. ¡°WAIT!¡± Chapter 36 - The Keeper Run Oakley blinked at her. ¡°You¡¯re alive?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Penelope put her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. She held up a finger. ¡°One sec.¡± The brown-haired twenty-seven-year-old man smiled at her while the group waited for her. He pointed at himself. ¡°I¡¯m Oakley, and this is Frederica and Judah. ¡°Any time now.¡± The older blonde woman bounced the tennis racket in her hand. ¡°We are on a clock.¡± The black-haired man folded his arms across his chest while he waited. ¡°Sorry. Penelope.¡± Penelope¡¯s heart pounded against her ribs. She pointed at 2E. ¡°Don¡¯t do that one first. The Demon doesn¡¯t have a weapon, which means it¡¯s a Healer. You can¡¯t win a fight against something like that.¡± She straightened up and pointed at 2D. ¡°That one will be easier; then you¡¯ll have weapons.¡± Frederica Riddle eyed her. ¡°How do you know?¡± Penelope tried to smile at the other woman. ¡°The monsters are based off of stats just like our classes are.¡± She pointed at the Demon in 2D. ¡°Tank.¡± She pointed at 2E. ¡°Healer.¡± She pointed at 2C. ¡°Assassin.¡± She turned back to the blonde. ¡°Your Caster should be able to kill the little ones with three spells while your Tank holds aggro.¡± Penelope turned to Judah Argento. ¡°Try not to miss, but those bats are going to come after you to try to throw your aim off.¡± Penelope pulled the Healing Potion out of her pocket and offered it to Oakley. ¡°Use this when you start getting hurt, but don¡¯t wait too long. If you go down, your party dies.¡± The Tank blinked. ¡°Do you want to join us? You sound like you know what you¡¯re doing here.¡± Oakley scrunched his brow. ¡°You didn¡¯t stay for the introduction. How do you know all of this?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a reference guide in my menu.¡± Penelope waved a hand in front of her. ¡°Where?¡± Judah moved closer to her and tried to look over her shoulder like he could view her menu. ¡°Under skills.¡± Penelope covered her mouth with her hand. ¡°You don¡¯t have it?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re just messing with us.¡± Frederica glared at her. ¡°It makes sense.¡± Oakley rubbed his beard. He nodded at the dead monsters. ¡°It looks like she¡¯s been doing fine on her own.¡± He looked at the other two members of his party. ¡°It can¡¯t hurt to take her advice.¡± The young man held up the potion. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t need this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± She pointed at the Shadow Knight. ¡°It will have a potion sling on it. Don¡¯t let it take a potion, and you¡¯ll have some for your next fight.¡± Penelope started backing up. ¡°What if we came with you?¡± Oakley offered. ¡°With your experience, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be knocking these things out in no time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Penelope struggled to think of the right word. ¡°So kind of you.¡± Jeru offered. ¡°So kind of you, but..." She glanced at the portal. There was just under twenty minutes between when Oakley¡¯s group came in and Ula¡¯s. She needed to get rid of the first group so she could give the gear to the next one and point them in the right direction. ¡°You¡¯re losing time arguing.¡± Jeru appeared in front of her. ¡°A few more minutes, and you¡¯ll have to wait for Ula¡¯s group to come in instead of clearing another room.¡± Penelope sighed. ¡°Fine. Reset it.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°What¡ª?¡± The blinding light cut off Oakley¡¯s question. This run, Penelope was able to get to the Shadow Caster and grab its staff, necklace, and potion sling by the time Oakley¡¯s group walked in. She was still out of breath when she reached them, but she managed to stop them just before they walked into 2E. ¡°Here.¡± Penelope tossed the staff at Judah. She pointed at 2D. ¡°This one is..." She wheezed and took a deep breath. ¡°This one is easier.¡± ¡°How do you¡ª?¡± Penelope ignored Frederica and started walking towards 2D. ¡°Hey! Wait up!¡± Oakley ran over to her. ¡°I¡¯m Oakley.¡± He stuck out his hand. ¡°Penelope.¡± She put a Healing Potion in his open hand. ¡°Take that if you get hurt too bad.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Oakley looked at the vial. ¡°Where did you¡ª?¡± Penelope walked into 2D. She didn¡¯t have her best spell, but she was going to have to use what she had. The three beetles charged at her. ¡°ARRRGG!!!¡± The monsters turned from her and charged the man with stone skin. ¡°Light Arc! Light Arc! Light Arc!¡± DING! Experience +12 The lead Demonic Beetle fell, forcing the one closest to her to make an even wider arc, putting her in its path. Penelope pulled the second Mana Potion out of her pocket and popped off the lid. ¡°Light Arc!¡± She downed the potion. ¡°Light Arc!¡± DING! Experience +6 Penelope had to move to get out of the way of the dying monster, but it was a move that she had done plenty of times. ¡°FIREBALL!!!¡± Judah shot fire at the last remaining beetle. He hit it twice before he was out of mana. Frederica needed a better weapon than her tennis racket to do anything, which left the beetle free to ram into Oakley. ¡°Light Arc! Light Arc!¡± DING! Experience +6 Experience +6 The two bats swooped at Judah, but Penelope took care of them. She turned her focus to the last minion and shot it with a single spell. DING! Experience +6 Cracks spiderwebed across the exposed stone covering Oakley¡¯s chest. His shirt was destroyed, but he was able to wrestle the dead beetle off of him. Penelope pointed at the Shadow Knight. ¡°Get its attention and I¡¯ll kill it.¡± Oakley nodded. ¡°ARRRGG!!!!¡± The Demon glared at him and started advancing. Penelope ran in an arc around the Shadow Knight. It was strange to move around and not have everything focused on her. Once she was behind it, the exposed back was too easy of a target. It took four casts of to bring it down. DING! Experience +12 Penelope walked over to the pile of items and picked up the potion sling and the short sword. She pocketed the potions as she walked over to the group. Penelope flipped the sword around and offered the handle to the blonde. ¡°You¡¯ll be able to fight better with this.¡± Frederica put down her racket and took the sword. The older woman slashed the air a few times as she experimented with the weapon. ¡°Rude. Didn¡¯t even say thank you.¡± Jeru clicked his tongue. ¡°Judah.¡± Penelope pointed at the young man. ¡°You missed almost every one of your spells out there.¡± She pointed at the dead beetles. ¡°Practice hitting those things. When you are hitting more than you¡¯re missing, you can start helping.¡± She turned to the other man. ¡°You need to get into that metal gear. If you¡¯re going to be the Tank, then you need to be able to take the hits.¡± ¡°How are you so good?¡± Judah stared at her with admiration in his eyes. ¡°Practice.¡± Penelope turned towards the entrance. ¡°I¡¯m going to go help them for a bit so they don¡¯t get killed.¡± She eyed Frederica. ¡°You should get used to your attacks as well. Try hitting the other beetles. When I get back, we¡¯ll see about clearing more rooms.¡± ¡°Who made you the boss?¡± The blonde woman demanded. Penelope paused but didn¡¯t turn around. ¡°I¡¯m not the boss, but if you don¡¯t want to die, then you need to practice.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not going to stop you if you want to fight in another room, but please at least practice a little before you jump into another fight.¡± Her nerves were rattled as she walked away and waved at the other group. But she¡¯d started the runoff in a good way. Now she just had to finish it. Chapter 37 - You Make It Look Easy Penelope didn¡¯t go back to Oakley¡¯s team. Frederica and Judah were busy attacking the dead beetles, and Oakley was having trouble getting into the gear by himself. With the first group distracted, she was free to point Ula¡¯s group east, then she proceeded with her usual run. Penelope killed the Shadow Healer in 1B first to level to five. After that, she mopped up the minions and collected her loot. Instead of the point in Recovery, she got a point in Aura, which wasn¡¯t where she wanted to put points, but she had done a lot of talking between level four and five. She moved into 1A, killed the lesser demons, then the Shadow Caster. It was annoying to have to dodge the thorns, but she wanted the extra experience when she hit level six. Penelope got her point of Recovery here like normal, but her total Recovery was sitting at nine, so she didn¡¯t have any of her other passives. She had now, so she could do 3C, but she risked the other group joining if she walked over to the room next to where they were practicing. 2A was simple to clear, but before she could move to 2B, Oakley¡¯s group walked up to her. ¡°Fighting without us?¡± Frederica glared at the younger woman. ¡°You can have the gear.¡± Penelope tossed the Leg Guards towards the blonde woman. The tennis skirt Frederica was wearing left her legs bare. While it allowed her to move around better, it also left her exposed to attacks. The older woman held up the leather pants. ¡°You want me to wear this?¡± Penelope shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re the only one who can benefit from it; if you don¡¯t want to wear it, then don¡¯t.¡± Frederica glared at the younger woman before sitting down and taking her shoes off. Penelope started moving towards 2B, but Oakley headed her off. ¡°We can help, you know.¡± Penelope looked from Oakley to Judah. ¡°How much is he missing?¡± ¡°I hit it every time!¡± The other man puffed out his chest. ¡°From ten feet away.¡± Frederica grumbled as she pulled the pants up. ¡°The point is.¡± Oakley cut in. ¡°That you can help us and we can help you, if you¡¯ll let us.¡± Penelope closed her eyes and took a deep breath. ¡°Okay, here¡¯s the deal.¡± She looked at the Tank. ¡°I get first pick of all the magical gear and all of the Mana Potions.¡± ¡°Why do you get all the Caster gear?¡± Judah looked from Penelope to Oakley. ¡°I should get some!¡± ¡°Because.¡± Penelope didn¡¯t look at the other Caster. ¡°Right now, I can speedrun you through these rooms, but to do that, I need gear. Once I¡¯m geared out, it¡¯ll make getting gear for the rest of you easier.¡± Oakley held out his hand. ¡°Deal.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be serious!¡± Frederica finished putting her shoes back on and stood up. ¡°You¡¯re just going to let her have whatever she wants?¡± The Tank shrugged. ¡°She¡¯s given you a weapon and pants; I would¡¯ve thought you¡¯d be happy to get more free stuff.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Frederica¡¯s shoulders sagged. She glared at Penelope. ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡± Judah crossed his arms. Penelope shrugged. ¡°Then go practice more on the dead monsters until you can clear the rooms by yourself.¡± The other Caster grumbled under his breath, but didn¡¯t walk away. Penelope nodded at 2B. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do this one next.¡± She didn¡¯t wait for the others to agree; she walked past Oakley and entered the square. ¡°ARRRGG!!!¡± Oakley roared as she started running. The Demonic Beetles switched to the Tank, which also changed Penelope¡¯s strategy. Without them bunched up on her, she wouldn¡¯t be able to use to burn them down. ¡°Light Bolt! Light Bolt!¡± Penelope took down the closest beetle to her.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. DING! Experience +1.5 ¡°Wow.¡± Penelope shook her head. The experience that she gained by being part of a team was a lot smaller than what she was used to. ¡°Shadow Strike!¡± Frederica stabbed a beetle only for her sword to bounce off. ¡°Fireball!!!¡± Judah shot his spell... and missed. Penelope shook her head and turned her attention to the Shadow Caster. Oakley would be able to hold off the two beetles until after she took care of the Demon. Penelope ran towards the group in the middle and pointed her wand up at the ceiling. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± DING! Experience +1.5 One of the two Demonic Bats fell down while the other one tried to fly away. Penelope could have dropped it, but in order to maximize the experience for the others, the Demon had to go next. She dodged a fireball and flicked her wand. The spell wouldn¡¯t allow her to guide the balls like she could when they were created through . She missed having the easier-to-use spell, but that didn¡¯t mean that her aim had diminished. ¡°Light Bolt! Light Bolt!¡± DING! Experience +6 With the Demon dead, the bat turned around and swooped at her, only to fall to another cast of . DING! Experience +1.5 Penlope looked over at the cluster around the other group. The beetles had gotten into melee range of Oakley, which negated the monster¡¯s strongest attack. The Tank was holding his own and keeping them at bay while Frederica kept hacking at the one she¡¯d chosen to try to kill. Judah was still trying to land a hit on the other beetle, but he was learning that hitting a moving target wasn¡¯t as easy as hitting a stationary one. Penelope walked over to the item pile and picked up the Red Shadow Sandals, the potion sling, and collected the . DING! Experience +1.5 Penelope looked at the notification and turned to see who had claimed the kill. Frederica was standing over the body of one of the beetles while Judah was just staring at the one he¡¯d been trying to hit. Penelope shook her head and walked towards them. As soon as she was in range, she pointed her wand at the last monster. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± DING! Experience +1.5 It only needed one of her spells to kill it since Judah had managed to land one of his spells. The barrier came down, and the trio collapsed. Penelope sat down and started putting the sandals on. ¡°You make it look so easy.¡± Oakley took off his helmet and walked over to her. Penelope just nodded as she put on the footwear. Once she was done, she pulled the Healing Potion out of the sling and offered it to the Tank. ¡°No comment?¡± The young man teased as he took the vial. Penelope fought to keep her lungs from breathing too fast. ¡°They¡¯ll get there.¡± She nodded at 3C. ¡°Hang back a bit until I take care of the Demon, then you can help mop up the minions.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be serious!¡± Frederica stood up. ¡°My stamina is still in the single digits!¡± ¡°You just have to be in the square; you don¡¯t have to fight.¡± Penelope looked at the blonde woman. ¡°You¡¯ll get some upgrades after this next fight.¡± ¡°So are we just going to keep doing fight after fight without any rest?¡± Judah whined. ¡°It¡¯s been just over two and a half hours.¡± Penelope looked up from her menu. ¡°We have to do this for five years.¡± She waved her hand towards the boss room to the north. ¡°If we don¡¯t clear this Dungeon, then a lot of people are going to die.¡± She shook her head. ¡°After we finish this floor, we can go out there and get backup, but right now, there are only eight of us in here, so it¡¯s up to us.¡± She shrugged. ¡°If you¡¯re not up to it, then you can sit next to the barrier while the rest of us fight.¡± Penelope started walking towards the barrier between 2B and 2C. Oakley walked up beside her and put on his helmet. ¡°Come on, you two, you can rest while you¡¯re getting experience!¡± Frederica grumbled as she walked over with Judah on her heels. ¡°Stay back until I deal with this Demon.¡± Penelope took a deep breath, then ran through the barrier. The Shadow Assassin eyed her as she ran the beetles on a chase until they clumped up. As soon as they were close enough, she unleashed her spell. ¡°Light Blast! Light Blast!¡± DING! Experience +1.5 Experience +1.5 Experience +1.5 Experience +1.5 She waited until the familiar moment that the Demon did its and rolled forward. ¡°Light Blast! Light Blast!¡± DING! Experience +6 She turned and pointed her wand at the bat that was only a few feet away from her. ¡°Light Blast!¡± DING! Experience +1.5 Penelope walked over to the item pile and picked up the , the potion sling, and harvested the . She looked at the group, who were all wearing looks of bewilderment. She motioned at the pile of items. ¡°It¡¯s all yours.¡± Chapter 38 - I’m Going to Finish This Jeru wasn¡¯t happy. ¡°You¡¯re showing off.¡± Penelope stared at the barrier between 2D and 2E. I¡¯m doing things slower than I have been. What¡¯s so wrong about how I¡¯m doing things now? ¡°You know things that you shouldn¡¯t know and people are going to start getting curious.¡± Jeru sighed. ¡°People aren¡¯t going to believe that there is a time loop. The explanation that they almost always jump to is that you¡¯re working with the Demons somehow.¡± How does that make any sense? Penelope shook her head. Why would I be killing Demons if I was working with them? ¡°I didn¡¯t say that it was logical, but you can¡¯t bring yourself to work with Dawson after he stole from you. How are you going to work with Frederica or Patrick after they kill you because they think you¡¯re a Demon in disguise?¡± They¡¯ve done that to other loopers? She glanced over at the blonde, who was still getting into the Shadow Assassin¡¯s gear. ¡°Not them specifically, but they have the personalities for it.¡± Jeru sighed. ¡°That¡¯s not the point. The point is that sometimes people do things when they don¡¯t think the other person will be alive that they wouldn¡¯t do if they had to keep living with them.¡± He appeared in front of her and pointed at their tank. ¡°Like how you feel bad about the number of times that you let him die. You¡¯re never going to be able to look at him without feeling some degree of shame. Think about it that way but in reverse.¡± Ugh! Penelope glared at the incorporeal Elf. Fine! I¡¯ll try to be more careful! She looked north. Then how do you propose I explain knowing about the moles? ¡°How many monsters are in every room?¡± Jeru shook his head. ¡°Why do I have to give you all the plans?¡± Maybe because you¡¯ve seen them all? Penelope turned to look at the monsters in 2E. ¡°Worried?¡± Oakley stopped beside her. ¡°Oh! Um¡­¡± Penelope closed her eyes and took a deep breath to try to calm her nerves and chase away the guilt. ¡°It¡¯s easier to chain one fight into another. When I stop, I have to think about everything I¡¯ve done so far.¡± ¡°I get that. This morning, I was writing a novel about Elves, monsters, and magic and now I¡¯m living it.¡± Oakley chuckled. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°Getting a snack before Partial Differential Equations.¡± Penelope smirked. ¡°And now I¡¯m in a Dungeon doing math. Just like my dream job.¡± ¡°You dreamt about being locked in a Dungeon?¡± ¡°Most computational positions house their mathematicians in the basement where there aren¡¯t any windows.¡± She gestured around them. ¡°Kind of like how it is here.¡± ¡°What about all the monsters?¡± ¡°The projects.¡± Penelope chuckled. ¡°Or the bosses.¡± She smirked. ¡°There¡¯s even the other employees that don¡¯t like you.¡± ¡°Frederica¡¯s just processing.¡± Oakley frowned. ¡°Give her a few days to figure things out, and she¡¯ll come around.¡± ¡°In a few days, we¡¯ll be dead.¡± Penelope shook her head, then held up her hands when she saw the look on his face. ¡°I don¡¯t mean that she has to fight. We can do that. But she doesn¡¯t need to be attacking us when we¡¯re all having to deal with this.¡± ¡°Some better than others.¡± Oakley muttered. ¡°I¡­¡± Penelope sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll try to be nicer to her.¡± She looked at the Tank. She¡¯d gotten used to using a shield to protect herself from the poison spell. The shield that Oakley was holding. She thought about asking for it, but just that thought brought pressure of Jeru¡¯s impending response. ¡°Only two beetles in here. I¡¯ll knock them down so you can focus on the Demon, and it¡¯ll let the others stay on the edge.¡± Penelope pulled out her wand and checked the time. She¡¯d been in this run for almost three hours, which was twenty minutes longer than she had been spending to get to this point. ¡°Can¡¯t we wait a few more minutes?¡± Judah looked up from where he was lying on the ground. ¡°My mana is almost recharged.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to need your mana in the next room; just save it for now.¡± Penelope called over her shoulder. ¡°Why?¡± Penelope jumped. She hadn¡¯t heard the blonde sneak up behind her. Pushing the irritation out of her mind, Penelope closed her eyes as she took a deep breath, then pointed at 3D. ¡°How many monsters do you see in there?¡± ¡°Two. Should be an easy fight.¡± Frederica crossed her arms. ¡°How many monsters have there been in every room so far?¡± Penelope tried to keep the irritation out of her voice. ¡°I don¡¯t know, seven?¡± ¡°Six!¡± Judah sat up. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Penelope motioned at 2E. ¡°There are six in there, but..." She pointed at 3E. ¡°Five in there and..." She turned to 3C. ¡°Four in there. What does that tell you?¡± ¡°There¡¯s hidden monsters.¡± Oakley looked impressed. ¡°I knew having you around would be a good thing.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Penelope turned east so he wouldn¡¯t be able to see the embarrassment on her face. ¡°So save up your mana and stamina for the unknown.¡±Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Why can¡¯t we just wait until our mana recharges?¡± Judah whined. ¡°How are you getting yours back so fast?¡± ¡°What¡¯s your mana recovery per minute?¡± Penelope pulled up her menu. ¡°Where do you see that?¡± The older man began pushing on the air like he was pressing on a touch screen. ¡°It¡¯s under Recovery on your main stat sheet.¡± Penelope looked at hers. ¡°I have a 2.7 recovery rate. That¡¯s the points of mana I get back every minute.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see it.¡± Judah tried to look at her screen. Penelope flinched away as he invaded her space. ¡°You can¡¯t see anyone else¡¯s screen.¡± ¡°Your mana recovery is 0.9.¡± Oakley clicked his tongue. ¡°It takes you forty-five minutes to fully recover your forty mana, while Penelope fills her sixty-two mana in twenty-three minutes.¡± Everyone looked at the Tank. ¡°How can you see that?¡± Penelope hugged herself, suddenly feeling very naked despite having on a robe over the rest of her clothes. ¡°I¡¯ve got a tab for PARTY.¡± The young man looked at everyone. ¡°No one else has that?¡± They all shook their heads. Jeru? ¡°It¡¯s because he¡¯s the party leader.¡± The Elf appeared behind the Tank and floated around the man. ¡°The system recognizes him as the one in charge and gives him the ability to manage some things for the rest of you.¡± Like what? ¡°It¡¯s more of an administration function since this system automatically assigns stats.¡± Jeru motioned at the man in metal armor. ¡°He can see what items people have, what gear they¡¯re wearing, their stats, and skills. Basically, everything you can see about yourself, but for everyone.¡± That doesn¡¯t help me feel less exposed. The blue Elf shrugged. ¡°Then get the others to see you as the party leader.¡± Penelope¡¯s heart twisted at the thought. It was one thing to tell people information that would help them survive; it was a completely different situation to be responsible for everyone. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s not like you¡¯re going to steal from them. Besides, you would tell him any of the information if he asked for it.¡± Yes, but that¡¯s different. ¡°How?¡± Jeru raised an eyebrow. I¡¯d know what he was looking at. The invisible man shrugged. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, then be the boss.¡± Penelope closed her eyes so she wouldn¡¯t glare at the parasite. ¡°I guess that means that you need to watch how much magic you use.¡± Oakley slapped his hand on Judah¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Just hang back and enjoy the free experience.¡± The other Caster grumbled something, but nodded. ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°Great!¡± The Tank clapped his hands. ¡°I think we¡¯re ready to do this!¡± ¡°Wait up!¡± Frederica shouted. Penelope opened her eyes and realized that the pair had already gone into the next zone. She pulled out her wand and ran in, focusing on the two beetles that had already closed the distance. ¡°Light Bolt! Light Bolt! Light Bolt! Light Bolt!¡± DING! Experience +1.5 Experience +1.5 ¡°Kill the Demon last.¡± Penelope was about to ask why Jeru wanted her to do that, then remembered that she had 591 experience when she walked in. She would level once she killed another minion and the boss, then she wouldn¡¯t get any more experience from the minions in this column. ¡°Fine.¡± Penelope pointed at the Demon. ¡°Oakley! Get that thing¡¯s attention and I¡¯ll deal with the bats!¡± The Tank nodded. ¡°ARRRGG!!!¡± Oakley charged at the Shadow Poisoner, moving faster than before. ¡°He leveled.¡± Penelope rolled her eyes. ¡°Of course you¡¯re keeping up with it.¡± ¡°Someone has to.¡± Jeru chuckled. ¡°You¡¯ve got enough to think about; let me worry about a few things for you.¡± Penelope sighed as she sighted the closest bat. ¡°Thanks.¡± She ran towards the cluster of hanging monsters. Replaying the practiced motion, she pointed her wand at each one of the monsters, firing a at each one. DING! Experience +1.5 Experience +1.5 Experience +1.5 With the minions dealt with, she turned her attention to the boss. Oakley had taken the short sword from Frederica so the blonde could use the daggers. He was keeping his shield up and trying to hack at the Demon, but it was able to parry his inexperienced thrusts. Frederica, on the other hand, had snuck around behind the Shadow Poisoner. She had a dagger in both hands, the blades covered in shadows, striking out at it, but not connecting very often. The Demon moved like a column of water, avoiding or parrying almost every one of their attacks. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± Penelope timed her spell to strike the Demon in the face as it dodged one of Frederica¡¯s slashes. The older woman had a green tint to her skin and had slowed down to jerking, telegraphed movements. The blonde wobbled as she stepped and had stopped bouncing on her heels. Penelope recognized the poison¡¯s effects and knew that the fight needed to end fast so that Frederica could take a potion. She didn¡¯t want to have to reset because the Assassin died from slow damage. ¡°Light¨C¡± ¡°Fireball!!!¡± The Demon sidestepped to get out of the way and at the same time tripped Frederica. The fire spell hit her in the back. ¡°AHHH!!!¡± Oakley tucked his shoulder and slammed the shield into the Demon to push it away from the dying woman. Penelope pulled a Healing Potion out of her pocket as she ran over. She pointed her wand at the other man. ¡°PUT THAT STAFF DOWN!¡± She glared at him. ¡°DON¡¯T YOU DARE CAST ANOTHER SPELL!!!¡± Penelope slid next to the shaking blonde, dropped her wand and yanked the top off the vial. ¡°Just pour it on the wound. That¡¯ll keep her alive. Then pour another one down her throat.¡± Penelope rolled the other woman over. The leather jacket that they¡¯d looted from the Shadow Assassin had taken most of the spell, but the blonde wouldn¡¯t be able to put her hair in a ponytail for a while. The flames had burned away almost all her hair on the back of her head and left a nasty burn from the base of her skull all the way down her neck. Penelope poured the entire vial over the burn. ¡°Is she going to be okay?!¡± Oakley turned to check on them. ¡°Don¡¯t get distracted!!!¡± Penelope rolled Frederica on her back. She looked at the Tank. ¡°You fall, we all die! Do your job and I¡¯ll do mine!¡± Oakley stumbled back as the Shadow Poisoner pushed forward. The Tank braced himself, then slammed the shield into the Demon, pushing it back. Judah crouched next to them. ¡°ImsorryImsorryIm¨C¡± Penelope hit him on the top of the head with the back of her hand. ¡°This is why you do what you¡¯re told to do! You can¡¯t throw spells into a place where they could hit allies until you can aim!¡± She shoved her other Healing Potion into his hands. ¡°Pour this slowly into her mouth until it¡¯s all gone. DO NOT choke her. She¡¯s not going to die right now, so it¡¯s more important that she gets all of the potion in her than she gets it fast.¡± She snatched up her wand as she stood. ¡°Do you understand?¡± Penelope looked down at him. Judan nodded as he ran his fingers down the blonde¡¯s cheek. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I thought I could help.¡± He failed to stifle a sob as he looked up at Penelope. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± She turned to the last monster. ¡°I¡¯m going to finish this.¡± Chapter 39 - I’m Not Letting You Die Again Penelope was mad. This was the fight that killed them. She¡¯d watched these three die too many times in this fight, and with what had just happened, their deaths flashed in front of her eyes again. Before, she had told herself that there was nothing that she could have done to save them because they went in on their own. But this time, she had prepared them, she had joined them and... It had almost not been enough. Peopling was not one of her strengths. People made her uncomfortable, and dealing with their selfish, illogical, self-harming, chaotic impulses scared her. And now she was responsible for seven lives. ¡°Actually¨C¡± ¡°Not now, Jeru.¡± Penelope pointed her wand at the Demon. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± The Shadow Poisoner stumbled back after taking the hit. It glared at her, but before it could cast anything, Oakley rammed into it with his shield, staggering it again. The moment he started to step back, Penelope was ready. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± Oakley started to charge again. ¡°BACK!¡± Penelope sidestepped to her left to give more of an opening. The Shadow Poisoner took six spells to kill, and by her estimation, that had been five. ¡°Except it can heal.¡± Penelope threw herself to the side to avoid the spell. ¡°I forgot.¡± She clenched her jaw. ¡°HIT IT AGAIN!¡± She pointed her wand and waited until the Tank staggered it, then released a pair of . The Demon twisted so that the second spell only grazed its shoulder. A red glow covered the Demon as it moved to its left to try to put Oakley between itself and her. ¡°We need to get it away from the others!¡± Penelope ran to her right. She was blocking off her line of sight, but she needed to push the Demon away from Frederica and Judah. ¡°ARRRGG!!¡± Oakley roared and charged. The Shadow Poisoner pivoted to its right to avoid the charging Tank and keep out of Penelope¡¯s line of sight. The longer it stayed away from her, the more spells Penelope was going to have to pump into it. She needed to burn it down, but to do that, she had to get close enough that she could cast uninterrupted. The Demon knew that too, which meant there was only one way she was going to win. She ran at the Demon. ¡°Keep it off balance!¡± Penelope clenched her jaw as she lined up the spell. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± ¡°Shield Bash!¡± Oakley slammed into the Demon. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± Penelope rotated around the wall of walking metal. She aimed and readied her next shot when her stomach turned. It had been a long time since she¡¯d felt the effects of poison. She focused on the Demon and aimed for its neck. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± ¡°Shield Bash!¡± The Tank charged at the Shadow Poisoner. The Demon cackled as it jumped around Oakley. The large man tried to skid to a stop, but he ended up yards away while the monster was close enough to Penelope to touch her. Penelope danced backwards as the Demon slashed with its wicked dagger. She was too close to Oakley to use , and the Demon was too close for her to aim at it with her wand. ¡°Light Orb!¡± Penelope created the spell in her left hand and pushed it in between the two of them. The Shadow Poisoner was mid-swing and couldn¡¯t pull back fast enough. Demon flesh sizzled as the orb burned through its right arm. CLANK The dagger hit the stone floor, the hand that held it gone.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Penelope pointed her wand at the Demon¡¯s face as it howled. ¡°LIGHT BOLT!!!¡± DING! Experience +6 You are now Level Seven Stats increased: Speed +1, Magic +1 You have learned: Light Beam Penelope dropped to her hands and knees, then crawled on all fours over to the loot pile. She dug around until she found the potion sling, took out the Healing Potion, and downed the spicy liquid as she twisted to sit down. It didn¡¯t cure poison, but it chased away most of the effects until her body dealt with it. Oakley walked over and offered her his hand. ¡°How is she?¡± Penelope nodded towards where Frederica was still lying. ¡°I¡¯ll check.¡± The young man trotted over and kneeled down next to the prone blonde. He turned and gave her a thumbs up, then turned back to talk to Judah. ¡°That was a mess.¡± Penelope grabbed the Red Shadow Pants out of the pile. The robe she was wearing covered her legs well enough that she didn¡¯t feel too uncomfortable slipping out of her jeans and putting the Demon¡¯s pants on. Or maybe it was because she¡¯d done it a few dozen times that it had become a habit. New Passive Unlocked! Chaincast Mana Sponge It could have gone better. Penelope sighed as she reached over and plucked the sticky black goo off the floor and put it in the vial she¡¯d just emptied. How close did I come to having to reset? She grabbed the dagger and stuck it through the torn belt around her waist. Jeru snorted. ¡°You don¡¯t want me to answer that. What matters is that you survived.¡± ¡°Yeah, as long as I don¡¯t have to do this fight again or one like it.¡± She looked over to see how close Ula¡¯s group was. The other team was in 2I. It had been a while since Penelope had been this far behind. She looked at the time. ¡°11:02.¡± She closed the menu. She¡¯d gotten to ten points of Recovery, so now she had almost unlimited Mana as long as she was shooting at something. ¡°What do I do about them?¡± Penelope nodded at the other three. Jeru appeared beside her. ¡°Take the win.¡± He motioned over at 3E. ¡°And do that one first.¡± Penelope scrunched her brow. ¡°I¡¯ve never done that one. Why first?¡± ¡°Because they need to experience the moles firsthand, and there is only one in that room, so they won¡¯t get killed right away.¡± He pinched his brow. ¡°But you¡¯re not going to like fighting the Shadow in there.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this one do?¡± She looked over at the Shadow Buffer. It didn¡¯t have a weapon, so while it wore Caster robes, she knew it didn¡¯t have offensive magic. ¡°Counterspell.¡± Jeru shook his head. ¡°And a defensive bubble. That thing is like the anti-Caster.¡± ¡°Great, so I have to use a melee weapon against a Demon while having my back watched by a pyromaniac with the accuracy of a Stormtrooper.¡± She shook her head. ¡°How many Health Potions do we have?¡± ¡°Five, but you should have Oakley take one unless you want to wait for the poison to work its way out of his system naturally.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Penelope turned back to the group and marched over to the Tank. ¡°Oakley! You¡¯re poisoned. Take a potion.¡± She looked down at the blonde. ¡°How¡¯re you feeling?¡± ¡°Hideous.¡± The older woman sobbed. ¡°I can¡¯t believe he did this to me!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll find a helmet you can wear, then something like this won¡¯t happen again, and you can keep it on until your hair grows back.¡± Penelope tried to give the disheveled woman a reassuring smile. The look on the other woman¡¯s face told her that the gesture had not translated well. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, I thought¡ª.¡± "No, you didn¡¯t.¡± Frederica cut him off. ¡°You knew you couldn¡¯t hit the side of a house from the inside, but you threw the spell anyway. Penny told you not to use your magic because you¡¯d need it in the next room. You weren¡¯t thinking about anything but stealing the spotlight, and I almost died!¡± She slapped the younger man, then looked at Oakley. ¡°I¡¯m not going into any fight he¡¯s part of.¡± The blonde sniffled. ¡°I look like a monster now, thanks to him. I don¡¯t trust him not to try to finish the job!¡± She didn¡¯t get my name right. Penelope shook her head. Why do I need to make sure people like this don¡¯t die? ¡°Penny had to use TWO potions on me. TWO!¡± Frederica glared at the sulking young man. ¡°What do you think¡ª?¡± ¡°I think he¡¯s had enough.¡± Oakley cut off her rant. ¡°Why don¡¯t we take a few minutes to calm down after that fight? How about that?" He turned to the other man. ¡°Judah, come on, let¡¯s go talk over here.¡± Penelope watched the two men walk away. She became very aware that she was now alone with her second least favorite person at the moment. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to go see if I can figure out what invisible monster is in the next column.¡± She turned to walk towards 3D. ¡°You mean you¡¯re going to go clear a room by yourself so they can see what¡¯s in there.¡± Jeru laughed. ¡°Devious.¡± A softer voice cut off her reply with the same word Penelope had been about to think. ¡°Thanks.¡± Penelope paused and slowly turned around. ¡°What did you say?¡± Frederica glared at the younger woman. ¡°You heard me, so I¡¯m not going to say it again.¡± She folded her arms in front of her chest. ¡°No problem.¡± Penelope waved at her, then resumed her walk. ¡°See? She¡¯s not that bad.¡± The blonde started yelling at the men about something. Penelope shook her head. ¡°I miss being alone.¡± Chapter 40 - Miss-Not-The-Captain Penelope touched the barrier to 3D. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be doing this.¡± Jeru clicked his tongue. ¡°What happens if prettyboy runs in after you and gets himself killed?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that Oakley would die that easily.¡± ¡°Funny how you knew which one I was talking about.¡± Penelope pinched her brow. ¡°Of the two of them, Judah isn¡¯t the one who¡¯d charge into danger.¡± ¡°He seemed desperate to impress you earlier.¡± The blue Elf teased. ¡°Quit fantasizing about my imaginary love-life.¡± Penelope shook her head after she thought about what he¡¯d said. ¡°And how does doing the exact opposite of what I said, him trying to impress me?¡± ¡°Some people crave negative attention.¡± ¡°You¡¯re imagining things.¡± ¡°Or remembering them.¡± Penelope shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to know. Just do your thing and let me know when the moles surface.¡± ¡°Aye-aye captain.¡± Penelope rolled her eyes, then stepped through the barrier. ¡°Uh-oh, prettyboy saw you.¡± ¡°Jeru.¡± Penelope growled as she ran straight at the Shadow Warrior. ¡°Light Bolt! Light Bolt!¡± DING! Experience +24 ¡°Now!¡± Penelope spun around. ¡°Light Blast!¡± DING! Experience +6 Experience +6 Experience +6 Experience +6 ¡°Skree!¡± Penelope turned around. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± DING! Experience +6 She smiled as she looked down at her wand. ¡°I miss how easy that was.¡± ¡°PENELOPE!!!¡± Oakley screamed as he ran towards her. Judah was lagging behind. Even Frederica has gotten up and started walking in her direction. Penelope walked over to where the Demon had fallen, collected the slime, and grabbed the potion sling. By the time she stood up, the guys had reached her. ¡°What do you think¡ª¡± ¡°Catch.¡± Penelope tossed the potion sling to Oakley, cutting off his rant. ¡°Where are you going?¡± The Tank handed the potions to Judah and followed after her. ¡°We¡¯re going to need to eat.¡± She pointed at the moles, then looked at the two guys. ¡°Unless either of you brought food with you?¡± ¡°No! Nope! Not going to happen. I am NOT putting something that nasty in my mouth!¡± Frederica slashed her arms in front of her. Penelope shrugged. ¡°Then you can starve, but we have to eat and drink something. You more than any of us.¡± She pointed at the potions in Judah¡¯s hands. ¡°Those things speed up the healing process, but they don¡¯t provide any of the material other than a little bit of fluid. We¡¯ve been in here for over three hours, and we¡¯re going to start getting hungry, then we¡¯ll start making mistakes.¡± She pulled the dagger out and started cutting on a mole shoulder like she had done so many times. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°How are you even going to cook it? You can¡¯t expect us to eat it raw?¡± The blonde looked at their leader. ¡°Talk some sense into her, please!¡± Penelope smiled as she looked over at the Tank. She pointed the bloody dagger at Judah. ¡°Matchstick can cook them.¡± She looked at Frederica. ¡°You don¡¯t want him in the square fighting with us, and he needs to learn how to control his spells better.¡± She turned back to her project. ¡°Sounds like a win-win.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡± The blonde looked for an ally, but the only sympathetic face was the guy that she didn¡¯t want to join forces with. ¡°Here.¡± Penelope stuck the dagger in the body and picked up the leg. She turned and held it out towards the other Caster. ¡°Once you skin it, you can try to roast it.¡± She looked around and realized that Oakley was holding the shield that she usually cooked on and wearing the chestplate that she put the cooked meat on. She shrugged. ¡°You¡¯ll have to come up with a system to cook it.¡± Penelope pointed at the four holes that the moles had come out of. ¡°Throw the nasty stuff in there.¡± ¡°Just like that?¡± Frederica looked at Oakley. ¡°I thought you were the boss.¡± Penelope winced and turned to the Tank. ¡°Sorry, I just got an idea going, and I assumed everyone else had the same idea, so I ran with it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Oakley smiled. ¡°It¡¯s a good idea. Why don¡¯t we stay and help Judah for a bit?¡± Penelope cleared her throat. ¡°We still have to find water. One of the Shadows could have an item on them that lets us use a water spell.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°Because we don¡¯t have enough of the for everyone.¡± ¡°The what?¡± Frederica popped the T. ¡°This.¡± Penelope walked over to Judah and took the vial off of the sling, then walked it over to the blonde. Frederica took the top off and smelled it. ¡°Eww!!! Sulfur water?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t hurt you.¡± Penelope took the vial back and replaced the lid. ¡°But unless you want to drink this, we need to keep clearing rooms.¡± ¡°What about the other group? Maybe they have water.¡± The older woman pointed southeast. ¡°They¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know that, remember?¡± ¡°They might.¡± Penelope looked that way. ¡°But at the speed they¡¯re clearing those squares, it¡¯s going to be two hours before they get here.¡± She turned back to the other woman. ¡°How many squares do you think we can clear in that amount of time?¡± ¡°Ugh! Fine!¡± Frederica motioned at the other rooms. ¡°Where do you want to start, Miss Not-Captain?¡± Penelope looked at Oakley. ¡°Does that sound like a plan?¡± The Tank turned to Judah. ¡°Think you can handle cooking?¡± The other man shook his head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Oakley clasped him on the shoulder. ¡°Then you¡¯ll get to learn!¡± He turned to Penelope. ¡°Which one do you want to do first?¡± Penelope looked at the options. Without 3B was going to be difficult. 3C was just going to require more mana, which would be doable. It just wouldn¡¯t be enough for her to level to nine. ¡°You¡¯re going to take them to 4?¡± Jeru scoffed. ¡°That¡¯s almost ninety experience. They¡¯ll level, then level again on the way down to 4G.¡± Penelope smiled as she pretended to look around. ¡°Just because you can handle it doesn¡¯t mean they can. Do you remember how many times you died trying to figure some of these fights out?¡± ¡°It¡¯s three Casters and a Warrior. We¡¯ll be fine.¡± She turned north and looked at 4D. ¡°Your acting skills won¡¯t.¡± Jeru grumbled. ¡°Seriously, I¡¯m not going to be your therapist when this blows up in your face and they attack you for being a changeling.¡± ¡°How about we do that one?¡± She pointed at the square. ¡°You want to do a level four one?¡± Frederica shook her head. ¡°They¡¯re trying to kill me. First Jughead, now Penny.¡± ¡°I can go by myself if you want to stay here with Judah.¡± Penelope¡¯s smile was so sweet that it turned her own stomach. Frederica marched up to the Tank. ¡°Are you just going to¨C¡± The blonde glared at Penelope when she realized that he wasn¡¯t listening. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go. But if I die, I¡¯m going to come back and haunt you!¡± ¡°Sounds great.¡± Penelope looked at Oakley. ¡°Does that sound good?¡± The young man blinked, then looked at her. ¡°Yeah. We can do that.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Penelope took out her wand and started walking that way. The other two followed behind her. Once they reached the barrier, Oakley looked over at she. ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± Penelope pointed at the monsters. ¡°You grab their attention. I¡¯ll shoot them as they attack you, then we can finish off the Caster¡­¡± She tapped her cheek. ¡°How much experience do you have?¡± ¡°Two-forty.¡± ¡°Two-thirty-two-point-five.¡± Frederica cut in. ¡°And I can help. I got a new class when we leveled. Genin.¡± Penelope scrunched her brow. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Speed over Magic.¡± Jeru offered. ¡°It¡¯s why I kept telling you that you need to be careful of how you raise your stats.¡± ¡°The passive is Mask Presence. It lets me sneak up on things if I haven¡¯t attacked anything.¡± The blonde smiled. ¡°I could walk up behind the thing and stab it in the neck.¡± ¡°That could work.¡± The younger woman nodded. ¡°I shoot four of the little ones, you kill the big one, then I finish off the last one?¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Oakley slashed his hands. ¡°What happens if it sees her, or if she can¡¯t kill it in one hit?¡± ¡°Jeru?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not helping you with this one. You need to believably not know everything from time to time.¡± Jeru grumbled. ¡°If that happens¡­¡± Penelope grimaced. ¡°It could happen. What are you going to do? Do you think you can get away?¡± ¡°I¡¯m faster than you think.¡± Frederica glared at the other woman. ¡°I can pull my own weight.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not comfortable with this.¡± Oakley looked at the two women. ¡°But I¡¯m smart enough to know that I¡¯m outvoted. Just¡­ be careful.¡± ¡°We will.¡± Penelope motioned at the barrier. ¡°After you.¡± Chapter 41 The first part of the fight went as smoothly as when Penelope ran it solo. Oakley walked in, taunted the monsters. Penelope targeted the closest four and left one of the crows alone. ¡°Light Bolt! Light Bolt! Light Bolt! Light Bolt!¡± to kill all but one crow. DING! Experience +4 Experience +4 Experience +4 Experience +4 With her part of the plan done, Penelope watched Frederica stab the Shadow Caster in the neck. And it didn¡¯t die. The Demon slapped Frederica away as it pulled out its potion sling and removed the Healing Potion. The blonde used her second dagger to stab at it, which the Demon brushed away with its arm. The effort forced it to stop trying to take the Healing Potion, which gave Penelope enough time to get close enough and aim at its head. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± DING! Experience +12 With only one monster left, Penelope pointed her wand at it. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± DING! Experience +4 The remaining crow fell to drop the barrier. ¡°I knew that was going to happen!¡± Oakley ran over to the older woman. ¡°Frederica! Are you okay?¡± The blonde brushed herself off. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± She picked up the Healing Potion and potion sling. ¡°I get these.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Oakley grabbed her cheek and looked into the older woman¡¯s eyes. ¡°It looked like it hit you pretty hard.¡± Frederica brushed him off. ¡°I¡¯ve been hit harder by tennis balls.¡± She looked over at Penelope. ¡°More loot for you?¡± Penelope winced as she picked up the gloves. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re picking these rooms just so you can get gear.¡± The older woman glared at Penelope. ¡°Why don¡¯t we do something that one of us will get something other than potions?¡± Penelope swallowed. 4C had a hand crossbow, but that didn¡¯t seem like a weapon that Frederica would want. 5D was the last item that Penelope wanted to gather for herself, but suggesting that right now didn¡¯t seem wise. 4E was the Shadow Warrior with the Power harness. While it was a piece of Power gear, she doubted that the older woman would want to wear something that wouldn¡¯t cover her boobs. Frederica pointed west. ¡°I think we should go that way.¡± Her glare dared the other two to object. ¡°The Demon over there looks like an archer-type, so I should get some gear.¡± She raised her eyebrows. ¡°Any objections?¡± Penelope wanted to object, but there was no good reason she could justify to do so. ¡°Sure, if that¡¯s what you want to do. This seemed a lot easier than the last column since we don¡¯t have to worry about burrowing monsters.¡± Oakley shook his head. ¡°I think we should go back to the third column. Even with the ambush, the bigger Demons should be easier.¡± Frederica pouted her lip as she walked up to the young man. She walked her fingers up his chestplate. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be taking her side.¡± She booped him on the nose. ¡°Are you really going to get more Caster gear for her?¡± ¡°Momma¡¯s got game.¡± Jeru admired. ¡°Aren¡¯t you like two thousand or something?¡± Penelope gagged in her head. ¡°Plus, she¡¯s old enough to be his mom.¡± ¡°I can appreciate that a forty-seven-year-old woman knows how to manipulate a man that¡¯s twenty years younger than her.¡± Jeru chuckled. ¡°You should take some notes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re messed up.¡± Penelope shivered, then forced a smile when she realized that the two humans were looking at her. ¡°I already said that we can go west and try to get Frederica some gear.¡± She held up her hands. ¡°Don¡¯t bring me into your lover¡¯s spat.¡±Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°We¡¯re not¡­¡± Oakley sputtered as he looked between the two women. Frederica smiled and started walking west to 4C. The Tank started walking over to the younger woman, which set off every alarm in her head. Penelope hurried to catch up to the blonde and the two of them walked in silence to the barrier. ¡°Same plan as before?¡± Frederica looked at the two. ¡°Um¡­¡± Penelope thought about pointing out that she needed to kill the Demon first to maximize her experience, but then she remembered that she¡¯d stop gaining experience at level ten. While hitting nine would be helpful, she had a feeling the older woman would throw a fit about min/maxing. ¡°Sounds good. Make sure to wait for me to kill the little ones before you attack the boss so I can help if you need it.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Frederica smiled at the Tank. ¡°Whenever you¡¯re ready dear.¡± Penelope suppressed the urge to gag. Oakley nodded, hefted the shield, and walked in. ¡°ARRRGG!!!¡± As soon as the monsters turned to the Tank, the two women walked in. ¡°Light Bolt! Light Bolt! Light Bolt!¡± Ding! Experience +4 Experience +4 Experience +4 You are now Level Eight Stats increased: Aura +1, Magic +1 You have learned: Light Burst New Class Unlocked! Greenhorn -> Spellshot New Passive Unlocked! Chaincast Mana Sponge Penelope grinned at the wall of text and turned to the last two Demonic Crows. ¡°Light Bolt! Light Bolt!¡± Ding! Experience +2 Experience +2 Oakley yelled again as the crossbow unloaded thorns into his shield. Just in case something happened, Penelope moved close enough that she could shoot the Demon. Frederica had run in a wide arc to get behind the Demon. Both of her daggers were coated in shadows as she raised them behind the oblivious Shadow Shooter. This time, instead of stabbing with one dagger and trying to make a followup, the blonde plunged both daggers into the Demon¡¯s neck at the same time. Ding! Experience +8 ¡°ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!¡± Penelope had to bite her cheeks to keep the smile off her face. Oakley on the other hand was very concerned about Frederica¡¯s outburst. ¡°Are you okay?¡± The young man ran over to where the older woman was glaring at the pile of items. ¡°It¡¯s the gun!¡± Frederica glared at the other woman. ¡°You knew there wasn¡¯t going to be anything here that I could use! That¡¯s why you were so willing to do what I suggested!¡± Penelope held up her hands. ¡°Hey, you made a good point and I agreed with you. I¡¯m sorry it didn¡¯t work out.¡± She motioned at 4B. ¡°That one has a Warrior type in it. You want to do that one and see if you can get some Power gear?¡± Penelope looked around, then motioned at 4E. ¡°There was a Warrior over there too, I think there might have been another Assassin in 4F, but I couldn¡¯t tell.¡± She held up her hands. ¡°Whatever you want.¡± ¡°UGH!¡± Frederica grabbed Oakley¡¯s arm. ¡°Come on!¡± Penelope paused at the item pile to pick up the hand crossbow and harvest the goo. Frederica had taken the potions, but she had so much mana recovery that she filled up moving between rooms. The pair had already entered 4B by the time that Penelope reached the barrier. They do know that they can die, right? Penelope shook her head as she walked into the square. ¡°You mean like someone else?¡± Jeru scoffed. You know what I mean. Penelope pointed her wand at the minions. ¡°Light Bolt! Light Bolt!¡± Ding! Experience +2 Experience +2 The two Demonic Centipedes rolled into a wheel as they died, forcing Oakley to use his shield to shove them away from him. The Demonic Crows lifted off the ground like they were preparing to dive. The Shadow Warrior roared, sending a shockwave towards the Tank. Penelope took care of the flyers by firing three as she ran. Ding! Experience +2 Experience +2 Experience +2 The Demon charged, leaving Frederica behind as it cleared the gap and slammed its mace into Oakley¡¯s shield. How mad do you think she¡¯d be if I killed the Demon? ¡°Please don¡¯t.¡± Jeru sighed. ¡°Neither of us want to listen to her complain, and I think he¡¯ll be fine.¡± Oakley held his ground as the Demon hammered blow after blow against the shield. The young man even managed to get in a few slashes with his short sword while Frederica snuck up on the fight. The shadow-coated daggers plunged into the Demon¡¯s neck as it prepared for another attack. Penelope had to admit, assassinating the Demons was effective. Ding! Experience +8 ¡°Finally!¡± Frederica picked up the leather belt and wrapped it around her waist. ¡°Congratulations!¡± Oakley raised his hand to give her a high-five. When she didn¡¯t take it, he lowered his hand. ¡°Do you think we should head back?¡± ¡°It¡¯s 12:34.¡± Penelope turned to check the progress of the other group. ¡°Looks like they have one more room to clear.¡± She looked at the older woman. ¡°You want to clear one more on our way back?¡± The blonde glared at the younger woman. ¡°You just can¡¯t wait to get more gear for yourself, can you?¡± Frederica wagged her finger. ¡°We¡¯re going to get an upgrade for my little tree and then if we have time, we can try to feed your greed.¡± Penelope sighed. ¡°Fine.¡± They weren¡¯t going the direction she knew they needed to go, but she didn¡¯t trust the pair not to try a room without her. She walked over to collect the . After she¡¯d put it in an empty vial, she looked up and realized the pair had left. ¡°Jeru!¡± Penelope¡¯s heart thumped in her ears as she looked around. ¡°Where are they?¡± ¡°Behind you.¡± Penelope turned around. Frederica and Oakley had gone into 3B by themselves. Chapter 42 Penelope ran as fast as she could. Why didn¡¯t you tell me they went in there! ¡°I was about to.¡± Jeru groaned. ¡°I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d go in there by herself.¡± You mean she went in there alone and Oakley went in after her? Penelope wasn¡¯t sure if that made her feel better or worse. ¡°Save the self-reflection for later unless you want me to reset it.¡± ¡°Not unless someone dies.¡± Penelope didn¡¯t slow down as she ran through the barrier. The square was a mess. There were only two moles, but they were knocking Oakley around like an armored ball. All three of the grasshoppers were hopping after Frederica. The Shadow Knight was approaching the human Tank with its hammer ready to strike. Oakley was the more immediate concern, so that¡¯s where Penelope diverted her attention. ¡°Light Bolt! Light Bolt!¡± The two moles dropped, but she didn¡¯t get any experience. She¡¯d already outleveled this area. ¡°Light Bolt!¡± The futile current of energy hit the Shadow Knight¡¯s shield and splashed off of it. ¡°Oakley, are you okay?¡± Penelope kept her wand pointed at the Demon. The Shadow Knight had stopped advancing and was focusing on her from behind the protection of the shield. ¡°Ugh. I need. I need. Potion.¡± The young man pulled one off the sling on his belt and tipped it under the helmet. The Demon saw that the Tank had to put down both the shield and sword to take the potion and it advanced. ¡°Light Bolt! Light Bolt!¡± Penelope blasted the armored enemy to halt its advance. ¡°Hurry up!¡± Oakley grabbed his shield. ¡°Help Frederica. I¡¯ve got this.¡± He waved her off. Penelope knew he didn¡¯t have it, but neither did she. The only reason this Demon had been easy the last time she¡¯d fought it was because she¡¯d had her strongest spell. Neither of them were going to be able to fight like they needed to if they were keeping an eye on the older woman running around. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back!¡± Penelope took off. Against someone who still had their composure, a one-on-one with a Demonic Grasshopper would end in favor of the person. Frederica was not composed, and there wasn¡¯t just one. The older woman hadn¡¯t wounded any of the monsters enough to consider any of them to be damaged. The good news was that they were focused on the screaming blonde and not the approaching ginger. ¡°Light Beam!¡± Penelope sliced through the grasshoppers as soon as she was in range. Using the beam spell allowed her to force the monsters away from the other woman as she cut each one of them down. After the third one fell in half, Penelope ran over to Frederica, who was on her hands and knees gulping air. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Penelope knelt next to the older woman. Frederica shook her head. She was bleeding in a few places, but nothing life-threatening. ¡°Catch your breath, I¡¯m going to go rescue Oakley.¡± She patted the blonde¡¯s shoulder, then took off. Oakley was losing. The Shadow Knight was hammering its hammer against the human¡¯s shield. The young man was trying to stay upright, but the Demon was stronger. ¡°Light Beam!¡± Penelope shoved her wand forward. The stream of light hit the Demon in the back of the neck, one of the few exposed places. The beam burned flesh until the Shadow Knight turned around and blocked the beam with its shield. The light reflected off the shield and angled into the barrier until she dismissed the spell.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Come on!¡± Penelope gowled. The Demon hid behind the shield as it marched towards her. Oakley was still breathing, but the Healing Potion healed injuries, not stamina and he¡¯d already been rolled by the moles. Penelope checked on her other companion, but Frederica didn¡¯t appear to be in any condition to help her either. ¡°I hope this isn¡¯t a reset.¡± Penelope grumbled as she ran at the Demon. ¡°You know that your spells can burn through the shield.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to ruin it.¡± Penelope got close enough for the Demon to be able to swing at her, but instead of using the hammer, it tried to shield bash. She tried to pivot around to the side, but this Shadow Knight was able to keep up with her. Penelope took a few steps back when she lined the Demon¡¯s back to Frederica. ¡°When you get a chance, I could use some help.¡± Penelope kept her wand pointed at the enemy. ¡°You want me to help you?¡± Frederica laughed. ¡°This is a two person job and we don¡¯t have time for Oakley to recover.¡± Penelope growled. ¡°It can¡¯t block both of us. If it turns to block you, I¡¯ll kill it, if it doesn¡¯t then you¡¯ll get it.¡± THAT¡¯S WHAT YOU THINK. ¡°Great. Another one that can talk.¡± Penelope muttered. ¡°They can all talk.¡± Jeru corrected her. ¡°Most just think you¡¯re beneath them. Like talking to a spider before you step on it.¡± ¡°You-you-you can talk?!¡± Frederica started backing up. I WILL TAKE ONE OF YOU WITH ME TO THE DEPTHS, THEN RETURN ON THE NEXT FLOOR FOR THE OTHER. Penelope took a deep breath. ¡°You are immortal, I¡¯m insignificant, I get it. Light Ball!¡± She underhand tossed the ball over the shield. ¡°Almost, try to throw it a little higher so it comes straight down.¡± Jeru floated above her and pointed at the spot for her to aim. ¡°I¡¯m glad you decided to work with me.¡± Penelope eyed the Demon as she swapped her wand to her left hand so she could throw better. ¡°Light Ball!¡± The Shadow Knight raised its shield to block the falling ball. The ball hit the shield, but it had to raise the protection, leaving its feet unguarded. ¡°Light Beam!¡± The beam hit the metal boot on the Demon¡¯s right foot. The armored being shifted the shield to block the beam, but Penelope was already running to her right as she pointed the beam at the ground. She drew a scorch mark on the stone as she ran past the shield, then brought the charged beam up and hit the Demon in the elbow. Without the shield arm attached to the Shadow Knight, the shield fell forward, leaving the Demon exposed. It threw its hammer in an attempt to force her back. It missed, but she didn¡¯t. Ding! Experience +4 Penelope walked over and picked up the shield, throwing the gauntlet on the pile, then strapping it to her back. She might have a Tank now, but as he¡¯d just proved, she couldn¡¯t always rely on him. She harvested the , grabbed the potions and Mamozin, then went to check on Oakley. ¡°You going to be okay?¡± She helped him take his helmet off. ¡°Sorry.¡± He had tears in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be the one who has the monsters attention and¡­¡± He sniffled. ¡°And I failed.¡± ¡°Then do better next time.¡± She pressed the belt into his chest. ¡°This is yours. Can you walk?¡± He tried to stand, but was still too weak. ¡°I took another potion.¡± The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end before she heard the noise. ¡°Oakie!¡± Frederica rushed into the young man¡¯s arms, crushing him in a hug. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re okay!¡± ¡°Still think this group is better than Ula¡¯s?¡± Penelope shook her head as she turned away. ¡°There are parts of both that I¡¯d rather weren¡¯t part of the deal.¡± She sighed as she looked east and saw Ula talking to Judah. The grandmother was giving orders and showing the young man how he should be cutting the meat. She took a deep breath and jogged over to the barrier between 3B and 3C. Walking around this square was going to take almost as much time as it would take her to clear it. Frederica and Oakley weren¡¯t in any condition to join her and she was almost certain that Ula¡¯s group wouldn¡¯t be able to enter. Penelope stepped through the barrier. ¡°Light Beam.¡± The stream of light shot out of the tip of her wand as she ran towards the Demon. The three grasshoppers turned metallic, but her spell cut them apart anyway. The passive, Chaincast, made her spells stronger the more she cast in rapid succession. was a continuous cast, which kept the modifier at the max after a few seconds. It was very wasteful, but Penelope planned on taking a break for a while after this, which would give her more than enough time to recharge her mana. The Shadow Buffer turned silver as it shielded itself and started to form metal shards in the air in front of it. The beam hit it in the face, dispelling the metal shards. It took two seconds for her to get the notification. Ding! Experience +12 ¡°Now!¡± Penelope stopped the beam. ¡°Light Burst!¡± She didn¡¯t bother turning around. All four barriers came down, letting her know that she had won. Chapter 43 Penelope finished off her steak. It was drier than jerky, but she still had her soda. She had taken her portion and gone over to where she¡¯d left her drink and peanuts at the barrier between 1B and 1C. She leaned against the body of a dead ant in 1B while she ate alone. She was starting to miss the solitude. Her thoughts were always storming inside her head and now that she had an Elf Parasite in her head, she was never alone enough to try to process everything. ¡°Hey!¡± The blue Elf appeared in front of her. ¡°You think I¡¯m an annoyance?¡± Penelope sighed. ¡°Yes.¡± Jeru smiled. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I can read your mind and know what you mean by that.¡± He floated over to sit next to her. ¡°I can go radio silent for a while if you want.¡± Penelope didn¡¯t have to think about the offer. ¡°No. Somehow having you not giving me a commentary every few minutes is more unsettling than having you bouncing around in there.¡± She tapped the side of her head. ¡°You¡¯re so precious when you try to be sweet.¡± He turned and motioned north east. ¡°Incoming!¡± Penelope half turned, her heart racing as she dreaded who was coming to talk to her. Her pulse calmed when she saw it was only Ula. ¡°Hi there, Sweetie.¡± The tanned grandmother held out her hand. ¡°I never got to thank you earlier for the gear. I¡¯m Ula Ramirez.¡± Penelope brushed her hand off on her robe and took the offered hand. ¡°Penelope Flynn.¡± She tried to smile. ¡°We¡¯re all stuck in here; we might as well try to look out for each other.¡± ¡°Still¡­¡± The older woman walked over so she could sit across from Penlope. ¡°From the way Oakley and Judah talk, you know your way around this place pretty well.¡± Penelope laughed. ¡°A life many would say was misspent wasting too many hours on video games.¡± She motioned around her. ¡°I¡¯m glad I did.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know which button is the left bumper!¡± Jeru clicked his tongue. It¡¯s L1 or L2. And how do you even know what a bumper is? ¡°Lot¡¯s of time in people¡¯s heads. It gets boring while they sleep, so I watch their memories.¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°Only the ones they¡¯re thinking about, though!¡± Ri-i-ight. Penelope shook her head. Just try to keep your peeping to a minimum, okay? ¡°... thinking of having Judah cook.¡± Ula smiled. ¡°We were talking about combining parties, but not quite sure how to do it. The boys and I tried to help you out on the last one you cleared, but it wouldn¡¯t let us in. Some warning about the party size being too big.¡± Penelope pretended to count. ¡°There¡¯s six monsters in a square. Six main stats. So the max party size is probably six.¡± The grandmother nodded. ¡°That¡¯s what we were thinking.¡± She motioned towards the others. ¡°Judah volunteered to stay out, and since we don¡¯t need two tanks, Patrick is going to help him butcher when his mana runs out.¡± Penelope blinked. ¡°You mean you want to start now?¡± She checked the time. 1:28pm. In all the other runs, they¡¯d worked until five or six, and by that time, Ula¡¯s group was done for the day. ¡°We¡¯re ready if you are.¡± The older woman stood up. ¡°Or you can take your time. Your group is a lot higher level than ours, so you may have to slow down until we catch up.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your level?¡± Penelope stood up. ¡°We¡¯re level four, but about to be five.¡± Frederica and Oakley had hit level six in the last fight. Their experience gains were going to go down a lot, but there was plenty of experience for them all to get to level ten before they reached the boss. ¡°Sure.¡± Penelope downed the last of her soda. She tossed the bottle on her small pile of items that she¡¯d collected. She¡¯d been leaving most of the items where they fell, pushing as fast as she could into the next zone. While she¡¯d snacked on the dry jerky, she¡¯d walked around and collected the gear in 2B, 2A, 1A, and 1B and brought it to where she¡¯d rested. The gear wasn¡¯t worth anything to anyone there, but once they got out, it would be useful for the people who hadn¡¯t gone into the Dungeon, since all of those people were still level one. No one had anything valuable enough to trade, but she wouldn¡¯t put it past someone like Dawson to try to gouge the other people.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Ula had already gone back to talk to the others, leaving Penelope to walk over to where the others were waiting at the barrier between 3D and 3E. ¡°She¡¯s coming?¡± Frederica sounded annoyed, surprised, and relieved. Penelope shrugged as Ula turned to address them. ¡°Oakley and I have figured out how to merge the parties.¡± The older woman motioned towards the men carving up a mole. ¡°Judah and Patrick have agreed to sit out and take care of gathering food and water for us.¡± ¡°Where are they going to get water?¡± Dawson conjured a glob of green acid in his hand. ¡°Because you can¡¯t drink this.¡± Ula squared her shoulders. ¡°We¡¯re hoping that one of us gets a water skill or that we find a water skill like the earth one that we found.¡± She nodded at Marlow. ¡°Or the necklace that we got that had an air spell. If those are here, then there are bound to be water ones somewhere.¡± ¡°There are things that will teach you a spell?¡± Penelope began thinking about the implications. ¡°How does that work?¡± ¡°When the system took over, some of the Demons had items that allowed them to use specific spells. Those items were converted into spells that could be learned.¡± ¡°What happens if I learn the spell that way and reset?¡± Penelope thought about what she¡¯d have to go through if she reset again. ¡°It¡¯s not quite knowledge that you can¡¯t unlearn, since the system is adding it to your selection.¡± Jeru clicked his tongue. ¡°More often than not, you won¡¯t keep the spell because you have to master a spell to be able to keep it.¡± ¡°You mean like how I can control the intensity of ?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a start, but you have to be able to cast the spell without relying on the system to do it for you.¡± Jeru sounded disappointed. ¡°You¡¯re not there yet.¡± ¡°Something to think about and come back to later.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Like the building.¡± ¡°Penelope, you don¡¯t think so?¡± Ula locked on to the younger woman. Penelope realized that she hadn¡¯t been paying attention. ¡°Sorry.¡± She looked down at her hands. ¡°I got lost in thought.¡± ¡°Try to pay attention, Sweetie.¡± The old woman¡¯s stern voice demanded she listen. ¡°You¡¯re very important to all of us surviving, so I need to know that you¡¯re up to what we need from you.¡± ¡°I stay back with Marlow and Dawson.¡± Penelope held up her thumb. ¡°Got it.¡± The tanned woman held her gaze on the younger one for a few seconds before turning back to the rest of the group. ¡°When we finish a room, start moving to the next one. We¡¯re going to stop at six to eat, then we¡¯ll see how much more we want to do.¡± Ula took a deep breath. ¡°Everyone here has a different stat focus, so if we get gear that is for your stats, you get first pick. If you already have something for that slot, then you can swap out the new piece or we throw it in the community pile.¡± ¡°Red has already gotten a lot of gear, and all I¡¯ve got is this ring.¡± Dawson held up his left hand to show the ring from 3C. ¡°You¡¯re telling me that she gets even more gear if something for a Caster drops? You know I have spells too!¡± Ula gave the young man a mom glare that sent a shiver down Penelope¡¯s spine. ¡°If you don¡¯t like my rules, then you can go help Patrick.¡± Dawson swallowed and held up his hands. ¡°Your way sounds good.¡± ¡°Great!¡± She hefted the War Hammer. ¡°Let¡¯s start!¡± Penelope followed the group into 3E. The lone mole was able to surprise Marlow, but she killed it before it could hurt their Healer too much. The grasshoppers went down one after another. Once it was only the Shadow Buffer left, the three melee people whittled it down. The barrier that the Demon kept casting absorbed spells, which limited how much help Penelope and Dawson¡¯s spells could provide. The fight earned her a whole two experience and took over twenty minutes. Dawson was overjoyed that he got a pair of pants. The other five rooms in Column 3 went just as smoothly. Marlow and Dawson made sure to run once they got into the square, and the others handled the grasshoppers until the Casters were done. In 3J, the melee group was able to finish before the ranged group. The gear was divided among everyone without a fuss until they finished 3J. Oakley got a pair of leg guards, Dawson got sandals and a ring, and Frederica got a crystal that taught her the spell. The item that caused a fuss was a pair of gauntlets that gave a point of Power and increased Poison damage. Penelope walked away while Dawson argued about why it should be his. She stopped at the barrier between 3J and 4J. ¡°Rethinking going solo?¡± Jeru appeared in front of her. ¡°Yeah.¡± Penelope took a deep breath. ¡°But I don¡¯t think I could have soloed 3E even when I was level ten.¡± She shrugged. ¡°It was inevitable.¡± The blue Elf moved beside her. ¡°You know there¡¯s enough experience in there to level you.¡± Penelope nodded. ¡°There¡¯s seven squares in that column. I¡¯ll level eventually, and it¡¯s not worth the headache the others will throw for a spell that isn¡¯t going to speed things up any faster.¡± Jeru started to reply, but stopped and vanished. ¡°Incoming.¡± Penelope turned around. Dawson was beaming, flexing the fingers of his metallic gloves. Ula cleared her throat. ¡°We¡¯ve got two more hours and six more rooms! Let''s try to pick up the pace and get them all done!¡± Penelope resisted the urge to snort. They¡¯d spent over two and a half hours doing six rooms in Column 3. She doubted that they were going to do the others any faster. The grandmother bounced her War Hammer off her armored shoulder and pointed it through the barrier. ¡°Let¡¯s do it!¡± Chapter 44 It took them three hours. The Demons adapted and instead of trying to target the Casters, the ones in Column 4 kept all the minions close, but not so close that Penelope could kill them all with . The result was that they had to move slower to ensure that none of the monsters got a lucky hit, which led to them walking back just after seven. Penelope dropped against the ant carcass and bit into the dry mole meat, then drained one of the vials of water. They¡¯d given both rings to Judah, who was thrilled to be able to make water for the group. He¡¯d filled a metal helmet with water and most people cupped out what they wanted to drink because they¡¯d just been throwing the vials on the stone floor after they took a potion. Penelope had stopped picking up , mostly because the group didn¡¯t want to wait for her to run over and drop the goo into a vial. She put the empty glass container back in the potion sling on her belt and looked at her empty soda bottle. She¡¯d get Judah to fill it in the morning. ¡°Not going back out?¡± Jeru teased as he sat down in front of her. Penelope glared at him. ¡°How can I be this exhausted when I did less work?¡± The blue Elf shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but It was exhausting watching you do it.¡± He pretended to yawn. ¡°And I don¡¯t get tired.¡± ¡°Lucky.¡± Penelope tilted her head. ¡°Wait, so you¡¯re able to move around while I¡¯m asleep?¡± Jeru nodded. ¡°Yeah, but I can¡¯t do anything, so it¡¯s not that exciting.¡± ¡°Maybe not.¡± Penelope glanced towards the group. ¡°But you know the misgivings I have about sleeping around some of them.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯re not injured this time.¡± He shook his head. ¡°The boy wasn¡¯t brave enough to come within ten feet of your body when you were wounded. He¡¯s not going to get close to you when you aren¡¯t.¡± ¡°Still.¡± Penelope turned back to her parasite. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how much I trust Frederica either.¡± ¡°She¡¯s just worried that the big, strong man is going to fall for you and leave her old butt.¡± Jeru scoffed. ¡°She¡¯s only 47." Seriously, that¡¯s like a teenager for an Elf.¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°Also, I know you¡¯re still referring to me as a parasite.¡± ¡°Because most of the time, you are.¡± Penelope shrugged. ¡°Maybe if you stayed out of my thoughts, you wouldn¡¯t see stuff you didn¡¯t like.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t say I didn¡¯t like it.¡± Jeru sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t, but I don¡¯t mind. I¡¯m doing what I have to do for the greater good, and if that means some negative name-calling gets thrown my way, I can take it.¡± ¡°Fine. What do you want me to call you?¡± She held up her hand. ¡°I am not calling you a symbiote.¡± ¡°Why? I could do a good deep, mysterious voice.¡± He dropped into bass as he spoke. When Penelope didn¡¯t react, the Elf shrugged. ¡°Companion, mentor, advisor, genius. Any of those are great.¡± She snorted. ¡°How about ¡®old man¡¯?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that old!¡± Jeru waffled his head. ¡°Okay, maybe I¡¯ve lived several lifetimes, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m a cantankerous old man.¡± Penelope grinned. ¡°I¡¯ll see what other stuff I can dream up.¡± She pulled up her stat screen. ¡°I hit level nine in the second-to-last square.¡± ¡°And you didn¡¯t use in the last room. Why?¡± Penelope shrugged as she closed the menu. She hadn¡¯t gotten any gear, and she¡¯d managed to get her extra point in Speed, so she was happy about that. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I felt like it was overkill, and they already look at me like I¡¯m going to carry them through the whole floor. I didn¡¯t want to show them how much stronger I¡¯ve gotten.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to have to eventually.¡± Jeru leaned back so he was floating in the air in front of her. ¡°But I can see reasons why showing them could cause problems.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Penelope sighed. ¡°I have a feeling this is going to be a long night.¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°Why¡­¡± Jeru processed the information. ¡°Huh, I always thought it was some skill why you would only sleep five hours a day; I didn¡¯t realize you¡¯ve been doing it for most of your life.¡± ¡°It is what I am.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Sleep doesn¡¯t come easy for me, and trying to force it only makes me more tired.¡± She looked at 3A. ¡°I¡¯ll just get an early start.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to clear squares without them?¡± Jeru clicked his tongue. ¡°How shameful.¡± ¡°They¡¯re level seven. It¡¯s not like any of us will be getting experience in a few days.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m ready for this floor to be over.¡± ¡°Careful.¡± The blue Elf shook his head. ¡°If you get fed up now, it¡¯s only going to get worse.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not giving up.¡± Penelope closed her eyes. ¡°I just need some alone time.¡± ¡°Then sleep while you can. I¡¯ll wake you up if something happens.¡± Penelope smirked and opened her left eye. ¡°Thanks. My parasite.¡± ¡°HEY!¡± ********** Penelope woke up at two in the morning. She stretched as she stood up. ¡°Anything interesting happen while I was out?¡± Jeru materialized in front of her. ¡°Ula came to check on you before ten, saw you were asleep, and left you alone.¡± He shrugged. ¡°No one else came over.¡± Penelope nodded and looked over the rest of the humans. The moles had been skinned, and the furs had been laid out on the ground so that they could sleep on something soft. Penelope waved the sulfur smell away from her. ¡°I think I need to find somewhere else to sleep.¡± Jeru took in a big whiff. ¡°Ah, I love the smell of decomposing Demon in the morning.¡± She shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re something else.¡± The Elf puffed out his chest. ¡°Of course I am.¡± Penelope gathered up her cloth items and empty bottles and moved to the eastern corner where 3A and 4A met. She put her items down and took a deep breath. ¡°You sure you want to do this? You know they¡¯re going to get upset.¡± Jeru floated in front of her. ¡°I can¡¯t just sit on my hands and do nothing.¡± Penelope looked at the two squares. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to keep the loot.¡± She pointed at 3A. ¡°That one is a robe for Dawson and..." She looked at 4A, then turned to the blue Elf. ¡°I¡¯ve not done that one yet.¡± ¡°The helm.¡± Jeru pointed at the Shadow Warrior¡¯s head. ¡°It¡¯s a Power item for Ula.¡± ¡°See?¡± Penelope shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to steal from them. Plus, we¡¯ll get out of here faster.¡± The overgrown smurf motioned for her to proceed. ¡°Not any better.¡± Jeru growled. She had practiced this square multiple times and was able to fall back into the pattern. DING! Experience +12 Penelope picked up the robe and potion sling and walked over to the corner where she¡¯d left her items. A dark-haired young man was waiting for her. ¡°Judah, what are you doing?¡± Penelope tried not to let her nerves kick her into fight or flight. ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep.¡± He swallowed and nodded at the robe in her hand. ¡°That yours?¡± Penelope tossed it next to her pile. ¡°It¡¯s for Dawson.¡± She looked him over. ¡°What do you want?¡± The young man squirmed for a few seconds. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be on kitchen duty!¡± He reached for her hands, but she was fast enough to step back so he missed. ¡°Sorry.¡± Judah got down on his knees. ¡°Please.¡± ¡±What do you think?¡± Penelope took another step away from the groveling man. ¡°I think he¡¯s twenty-nine and should act with a little more dignity.¡± Jeru sighed. ¡°But this is the perfect cover for you to start clearing squares again.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Penelope sighed. ¡°But you¡¯re going to watch until I tell you to do something else.¡± She pointed her finger at 5A. ¡°Those monsters both have ranged attacks. One misstep and you¡¯re going to be spider food.¡± He nodded. ¡°Thank you!¡± The young man tried to grab her hand again. Penelope pulled her hand back. ¡°Touch me and you can do it yourself.¡± Judah looked at his feet. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m a hugger.¡± He mumbled the apology almost too low for her to hear. ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Penelope started walking over to the barrier. ¡°Just sit right here in the corner and watch.¡± She paused. ¡°Jeru, is he even going to be able to get into the square with me?¡± ¡°The two of you have decided to become a party, so you¡¯ve left Ula¡¯s and have made your own.¡± The Elf laughed. ¡°You¡¯re even the party leader!¡± Penelope opened her menu and saw the new tab labeled PARTY. She opened it and realized that she could see everything. His gear, his stats, his skills, even his jobs. She started feeling very naked, thinking about how both Oakley and Ula had been able to access all of this about her. ¡°It¡¯s not like you wouldn¡¯t have told them all of that information if they asked.¡± Jeru tried to reassure her. ¡°Somehow, not knowing if they looked makes it feel wrong.¡± Penelope closed the menu without clicking on any of the tabs. ¡°Let¡¯s just get this over with.¡± Penelope walked into the square with her fan on her heels. Chapter 45 Judah was too enthusiastic. He stayed in his corner but felt obligated to provide a running commentary the entire time. ¡°Penny cast a spell that lets her control four fireballs! Now she has eight of them! Look at them go! Wait! Look at that! She directs them after she¡¯s thrown them! Talk about talented! Whoosh! You should¡¯ve kept your tongue to yourself and maybe you¡¯d still have it, aye froggy! You can cut spiderwebs with a fireball? Of course, you can do that. Is there anything you can¡¯t do? Hey, I leveled up!¡± Penelope took care of the four frogs. She had to use two on each of them, then all four from her spell to deal with the lone spider. The Shadow Warrior managed to get close enough to throw its hammer, but it telegraphed the move, giving her plenty of time to move out of the way. A burned a hole through its chest. She was getting better at ignoring the experience notifications, leaving them to consolidate until after combat was over. DING! Experience +27 ¡°Why doesn¡¯t it always do that?¡± Jeru shrugged as he watched her pick up the metal helmet. ¡°People like when the numbers go brrr. They can¡¯t get that warm fuzzy feeling if they don¡¯t see it every time it happens.¡± ¡°And if a notification in the middle of combat distracts me?¡± Penelope shook her head. ¡°Then you reset and get to see all the numbers all over again!¡± The blue Elf sighed. ¡°Do you want me to change it so that you don¡¯t get the notification until after combat?¡± ¡°I need sixty-four more experience until I don¡¯t see that pop-up and now is when you offer?¡± Penelope growled, then sucked in her lips when she realized that she¡¯d used her outside voice. Judah looked like he was torn between saying something or pretending that he hadn¡¯t seen anything. ¡°There are settings in these stupid menus and I just realized that I can consolidate the experience notifications.¡± She tossed him the helmet as she walked east. ¡°That¡¯s for Ula.¡± The young man nodded and tucked the helmet under his arm. ¡°Are we going to do another one?¡± Penelope looked at the clock. It was almost three. ¡°Ula strikes me as the type of person who gets up early, but I think we have enough time to do a few more.¡± She nodded at 5B. ¡°It¡¯s another warrior.¡± Judah followed behind her like a puppy, which was not an image that Penelope wanted to hang on to. 5B only had two frogs, which made the initial charge easier, but the spiders tried to get around her to reach the other Caster, while the Shadow Warrior charged her with a War Hammer. One round of was enough to take down the Demon. Judah started casting when the webs shot at him. He still couldn¡¯t hit the inside of a submarine, but the flames served to keep the webs off of him and slowed the spider''s charge enough that Penelope cut them down with two rounds of .Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. DING! Experience +27 ¡°Did you see me burning the webs? I was like, Whoosh!¡± ¡°Yes, I did.¡± Penelope motioned at the item pile. ¡°Go get the potions and the special item.¡± She watched him run off to his task with more enthusiasm than she¡¯d seen in anyone else since the Dungeon started. ¡°You¡¯ll want to skip 5C.¡± Jeru shook his head. ¡°Stun Caster with frogs and spiders is going to be impossible for even you to solo.¡± He looked at the happy man. ¡°And he¡¯s not ready to do any actual fighting.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only 3:36.¡± Penelope looked south. Everyone else was in the 3D square and walking around meant getting closer to camp and possibly waking someone up. ¡°I think you¡¯ve done about everything that you could solo.¡± Jeru shrugged. ¡°You¡¯ve cleared almost half of the squares in less than twenty-four hours! You should be proud of that.¡± Penelope turned to look at 6B. ¡°No.¡± Jeru floated in front of her. ¡°That¡¯s a warrior though.¡± She pointed at the Demon with a greatsword. ¡°Those have been easy.¡± ¡°That one has a counterspell.¡± He shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s on a cooldown because it¡¯s part of its gear, but that doesn¡¯t change that you¡¯ll have to get feedback in order to make it waste the cooldown.¡± The blue Elf pointed at the monsters. ¡°The Demonic Turtles have and the Demonic Lizards have . You won¡¯t recover fast enough to counterattack.¡± Penelope sighed and looked at 6A. ¡°A Shadow Knight. That should be doable and there¡¯s only one turtle in there.¡± ¡°That Demon knows . Any projectiles, physical or magical within its area of effect are redirected to it.¡± Jeru shook his head. ¡°You¡¯ll have to burn through its shield while the Lizards swamp you.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Penelope threw up her arms. ¡°But I can¡¯t just sit around and do nothing.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not doing the next one?¡± Judah stopped behind her. The wiry man had the War Hammer over his shoulder and was trying to carry the robe and helmet in his other arm, but it wasn¡¯t working well. Penelope motioned at 5C. ¡°We can¡¯t solo a stun Caster.¡± She waved north. ¡°And I don¡¯t think trying the sixes is going to be a good idea.¡± ¡°So we go around.¡± Judah took off. ¡°We¡­¡± Penelope shook her head. ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll go around.¡± It had been taking her about three minutes to walk to the next square, but Judah was laden down with gear, which ended up taking over ten. When they got to the middle of the barrier to 5D, he dropped the gear and sat down. ¡°I need to rest for a few.¡± He wiped his brow with his palm. ¡°I don¡¯t see how you do it.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have a Speed stat of two, so you recover your stamina a lot faster.¡± Jeru provided the answer that Penelope couldn¡¯t repeat. ¡°We¡¯ll take a break until four and then start back up again.¡± Penelope took a deep breath and started walking east. ¡°Hey! Where are you going?¡± Judah started to get up. ¡°I¡¯m just looking at the other squares. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be back.¡± Penelope motioned for him to sit back down. ¡°You mean you¡¯re going to ask me for information on the next squares.¡± Jeru scoffed. ¡°Am I just some encyclopedia to you?¡± ¡°If there was a hint of actual distress in your voice, I might believe you.¡± She snapped her fingers. ¡°That¡¯s what I could call you. My encyclopedia.¡± ¡°I like parasite better.¡± Jeru huffed as he appeared in front of her. ¡°Parasite it is.¡± Penelope looked at the next few squares. ¡°Assassin, Warrior, Knight¡­¡± She strained to see 5H. ¡°Knight, Caster, Knight.¡± Jeru finished. ¡°Anything out of the ordinary about them?¡± ¡°Considering it¡¯s going to take you half an hour to clear this square. You¡¯re skipping 5E because it has a crossbow, so it¡¯ll take even longer to clear the Warrior?¡± The Elf shook his head. ¡°No. You¡¯ve seen the Caster¡¯s tricks and the Warrior just has a big sword.¡± Penelope nodded. ¡°Then it¡¯s back to the party.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Jeru shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a party.¡± Chapter 46 Frederica was the one waiting for them when the barrier came down. The blonde woman was screaming at the others while Judah was trying to calm her down. ¡°I thought you said Ula would be the first one up?¡± Penelope muttered under her breath as she picked up the gray robe and put it on. ¡°You try remembering the quirks of six hundred different humans, not to mention the five thousand non-humans in the city!¡± Jeru folded his arms across his chest. ¡°She¡¯s really got it out for you though.¡± Penelope sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know why. I have no interest in trying to build a relationship with someone in here.¡± She shuddered. ¡°How could you keep saying the same thing to someone in every loop without it feeling like they¡¯re intentionally forgetting you?¡± Penelope touched her lips as she thought about the loop where she got the card. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine what that would be like.¡± She looked at her companion. ¡°I already told her that I don¡¯t have any interest in seducing Oakley, why does she have it in for me?¡± ¡°People apply the way they would act to others. Since she would lure a young man out alone and seduce him to do her will¡­¡± Jeru looked at Judah, who was still trying to defend her. ¡°Yeah¡­ he¡¯s not helping you by trying to help you.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Penelope picked up the discarded armor and started walking towards the gathering crowd. ¡°We agreed to share things as a group and she¡¯s running off by herself again.¡± The older woman motioned at Judah. ¡°And look at what she¡¯s done to poor Jughead! She¡¯s got him thinking that he doesn¡¯t need to be our cook anymore!¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t¨C¡± ¡°Judah.¡± Penelope silenced him with a word. She groaned inwardly at how fast he complied. Penelope turned to the party leader. ¡°Ula, I couldn¡¯t sleep, so I cleared the west squares that I could do on my own. Judah woke up while I was doing them and asked if he could get some experience to level up.¡± She pointed at the pile of gear. ¡°He¡¯s been collecting the gear and watching.¡± ¡°And now he wants to be her little gopher instead of learning how to cook better!¡± The blonde glared at Penelope. ¡°What are we going to eat if she gets him killed?¡± ¡°Frederica, we¡¯ve got more than enough cooked meat to last us a week and there are only three days left. ¡° Penelope swallowed when she realized everyone was looking at her. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to get him killed. I was just pointing out that she didn¡¯t have a logical argument.¡± ¡°Why you¡­¡± Frederica threw her arms around Oakley¡¯s neck. ¡°Can you believe she just called me dumb?!¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Penelope turned to the tanned older woman. ¡°The gear from the square right there.¡± She pointed at the pile. ¡°What I¡¯m wearing¡­¡± She pulled on the robe. ¡°Is a piece of Magic gear that buffs metal spells, so I¡¯m the only one who can use it.¡± Ula looked at the pile of items, then nodded at 5C. ¡°Why did you skip that room?¡± ¡°Told you they would get suspicious.¡± Jeru groaned. Penelope ignored him and shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s a stun Caster just like the one I fought in 4A.¡± She pointed at the minions. ¡°When I can kill the little monsters first, then I can swamp the Demon with spells to kill it before I get stunned, and I just have to wait for the paralysis to wear off. The spiders and frogs are all ranged attackers, so I doubted I¡¯d be able to kill them before the Demon got close.¡± She looked at Frederica. ¡°I actually think about what¡¯s in the square before I let someone follow me somewhere.¡± Penelope looked away from the daggers the blue-eyed woman glared at her. Everyone¡¯s gaze was suffocating, but Frederica trying to lock eyes with her felt like metal drilling into her skull. Penelope closed her eyes and took a few long breaths while Ula thought. She felt like she was waiting for a mom to decide who broke the vase. ¡°Penelope. Every person here is important. If you and Judah had died, we¡¯d be short almost all of our ranged damage¡ª ¡°HEY!¡± Dawson interrupted. ¡°I¡¯m a Caster too!¡± ¡°Dawson.¡± Ula gave him the mom glare. ¡°Hush.¡± The young man grumbled as he looked down at his feet. ¡°Now.¡± The oldest woman there continued. ¡°We are a team, which means we need to act like it.¡± She looked at Penelope. ¡°So no more doing rooms by yourself. And¡­¡± Ula looked at Frederica. ¡°Quit stirring up stuff. Fight the monsters, not our team members.¡± Penelope nodded. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡°Okay¡­¡± Frederica sniffled. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡± She ran her right hand across the back of her hairless scalp. ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone else to get hurt like this. When I think about it, I just get so emotional.¡± ¡°Pull yourself together, girl. You¡¯re fifty, not five.¡± Ula shook her head and looked at everyone. ¡°Since we¡¯re all awake now, we¡¯ll start back up after we eat.¡± She looked at Judah. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of people mixed in with the monsters. You need to be able to hit your target every time so you don¡¯t hit someone else.¡± She nodded south. ¡°Once you can hit a stationary target from max range, we¡¯ll talk about rotating you in.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to go practice! I¡¯ll have it down today. You¡¯ll see!¡± The young man was smiling ear to ear as he ran to find a target. Ula chuckled as she started walking back to the camp. ¡°I¡¯m not fifty!¡± Frederica called after the older woman. She turned to the man whose neck she was still clinging to. ¡°I¡¯m barely thirty; you believe me, don¡¯t you?¡± Penelope shook her head as she walked away. ********** Frederica took the helmet instead of Ula. The extra Power made her attacks stronger and helped to hide the missing hair on the back of her head. It turned into sheer vanity, but Ula gave in to shut her up. 5C proved to be difficult for the group. The melee unit headed in first like normal, and Oakley was stunned as soon as he got in range of the Demon. Without a taunt to hold their attention, the smaller monsters attacked whoever the Demon directed. Ula was doing her best to hold the two frogs back as they smashed their tongues into the immobile Tank. ¡°I need some help over here!¡± The grandmother screamed as she tried to slice a tongue. ¡°A little busy!¡± Penelope flicked her wand, sending a pair of towards the closest spider. The Demon had decided that she was the most dangerous enemy and was keeping all the monsters just out of her reach. The three spiders had spread out and were harassing the ranged party, which was having to group together. Dawson was red in the face as he screamed. ¡°Poison! Poison! Poison! Why aren¡¯t these spiders getting poisoned?!?¡± ¡°He needs to use instead of .¡± Jeru sighed. ¡°He should have realized that the spiders are immune to the poison status by now.¡± ¡°The spiders are venomous, your poison isn¡¯t strong enough to affect them. Use an attack spell.¡± Penelope pointed her wand at another spider. The attack and fade tactics were making it impossible for her to hit a monster because they could stay at the edge of her range while still being close enough to hit others. ¡°HELP!!!¡± Penelope looked over at the screaming blonde. Frederica had tried to sneak up on the Demon, but had gotten stuck in the webbing. Cutting herself out had drawn the attention of the Demon, who was shooting electricity out of the tip of its wand into her. ¡°Move!¡± Penelope pulled all of her to the north west as she ran to help the older woman. ¡°Wait up!¡± Marlow took off after her. ¡°Nature¡¯s Touch!¡± Penelope forced the Demon back, cutting off the attack, but Frederica had a black hole in the middle of her armor. The scent of burnt flesh filled her nostrils as Penelope stood over the blonde, daring any of the monsters to get close enough for her to hit them. Frederica was covered in a soft green glow as Marlow caught up to them and started healing her. Dawson was right behind him, greenish goo shooting out of the tip of his staff. Oakley roared, drawing everything¡¯s attention back to him as he shook off the stun. Ula used the moment of changed focus to charge one of the frogs and smashed it between the eyes with her war hammer. ¡°Once we kill the Demon, the little ones will rush us, and we can finish them off.¡± Penelope patted Marlow on the shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m going to finish this. You good?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got him.¡± Dawson stared down the shaft of his staff like it was a sniper rifle. ¡°Go!¡± Penelope nodded and took off towards the Shadow Caster. You know it¡¯s going to stun you the moment you get close enough? ¡°Light Blast!¡± Penelope cleared the spiderwebs on the stone floor in front of her. ¡°I¡¯ve got eight balls, and hopefully, they¡¯ll keep the little ones off of me until I can move again.¡± She took a deep breath as she ran faster. ¡°If not, I¡¯ll try it again.¡± The convergence of projectiles that she commanded hungered for the Demon as she chased it down. The Demon roared, pulling the other monsters away from the rest of the party to help it. Given the reprieve, Marlow cast healing spells one after the other on Oakley and Frederica while Dawson stood between the Healer and the monsters. Ula finished the second frog, then charged after the spiders. Penelope was fast enough that she caught up to the demon before it reached the corner. She twisted as it fired multiple paralysis spells. The spells went wide as she guided her spells into the Demon. The first one smashed into the side of the Shadow Buffer¡¯s head, the second one caved it in, and the third reduced the Demon to a pile of goo. Penelope turned around and pointed her wand at the charging spiders. The projectiles were at the other end of her range. Instead of trying to use the that were already active, she dismissed them and focused on recasting the spell. ¡°Light Torrent! Light Torrent!¡± It took two to kill a Demonic Spider. One to crack the shell and another to tear a hole in it. That left her with two extra to keep the webbing off of her. Ula reached one of the spiders before her spells did. The War Hammer grew in size as the grandma brought it down on the back of the spider, crushing it. The other two fell to Penelope¡¯s spells, and the barriers came down. Penelope let her shoulders sag as the party leader walked up to her. ¡°This is why I didn¡¯t try this alone.¡± She chuckled as she sat down. Ula nodded. ¡°Thanks. I don¡¯t think we could have done this without you.¡± She held out her hand. ¡°Same.¡± Penelope took the outstretched hand and stood up. She turned east and started walking. ¡°Let me know when they¡¯re ready to do the next one.¡± Chapter 47 The rest of Column 5 went smoothly. Oakley was able to keep the monster¡¯s attention on himself, and Frederica didn¡¯t try to assassinate the boss; instead, she worked with Ula to clear the frogs while Penelope picked off the spiders. Marlow was almost exclusively healing instead of using the pair of hand crossbows that he¡¯d claimed. Dawson ignored the spiders, choosing to focus his poisons on the frogs and bosses. Penelope hit level ten while they worked on 5E, giving her a final point of Speed and upgrading her Light Affinity. There wasn¡¯t any gear for her, since all she was missing was a helmet and an enchanted belt. Each fight took them over half an hour because of how slow they had to move. The spiders covered the ground with webbing, and Penelope was the only one with a skill that could clear a lot of webs at once, which forced them to either move slowly or switch her from dealing with the spiders. Despite the early start, there were numerous breaks in between squares, and it took them until noon to finish. Patrick had started taking apart the frogs and pulled Judah off of target practice to start roasting the legs. The two of them had arranged spider legs like ribs for a grill. Judah was destroying the legs after a few uses, but there were a lot more spider legs than frog, so he wasn¡¯t going to run out of a surface to cook on. The pair had carved out one of the beetle shells the day before and sterilized the inside with fire to create a large bowl to stick the cooked meat in and a second one to put the raw stuff in. An interesting quality to the dungeon was that there weren¡¯t any bugs other than the monsters, allowing them to be able to leave the cooked meat out in the open without fear of contamination. Penelope lay down in 5A, close to the barrier to 6A. She¡¯d already eaten and had no interest in the small talk that the others were engaging in at the camp that Judah and Patrick had made in 5E. ¡°You know, being antisocial is how you get rumors started about you.¡± Jeru floated above her. ¡°It¡¯s asocial, not antisocial.¡± Penelope sighed. ¡°Being around them while we¡¯re fighting monsters drains my people energy enough.¡± She narrowed her green eyes. ¡°Plus having you in my head.¡± ¡°Me?¡± The blue Elf feigned being insulted. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know that most loopers have thought I was a delight.¡± He waffled his head. ¡°I guess there was Moses. He kept calling me a demon, and he¡¯d start screaming whenever I tried to talk to him. Took me almost a year to convince him to pass on the card.¡± Penelope chuckled. ¡°See?¡± She turned to look at the group, then back at her bestiary. ¡°How are we doing?¡± ¡°You¡¯re halfway through on the middle of the second day.¡± Jeru shrugged. ¡°Others have done it faster, but you¡¯re still on track to being able to keep this one.¡± Penelope suppressed a shiver and sat up. ¡°This stone gets cold.¡± She turned to her companion. ¡°Is that because the next floor is ice?¡± Jeru snorted. ¡°No, it¡¯s just like that. You could carve out all the stone beneath you, and you wouldn¡¯t reach the second floor. All that¡¯s down there is about ten feet of rock, then a stronger barrier.¡± He cocked his head to the side. ¡°I thought you looked down the mole holes?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Penelope shook her head. ¡°I pushed the monster parts into the holes. Didn¡¯t look too much after that.¡± ¡°Oh well.¡± Jeru clicked his tongue. ¡°You¡¯ll get a chance at some point.¡± He nodded south. ¡°Once the locals find this place, they usually send stonecutters in here to harvest the floor to make a barricade on the outside to try to slow the Demons down in case there¡¯s an outbreak.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Not that some first-floor material is going to hold back an unrestricted demon any better than wet paper.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Well¡­ no.¡± Jeru bobbed his head. ¡°But most of them can punch through it. There¡¯s plenty of more productive ways to spend their time, but it¡¯s not like they¡¯re going to listen to a human.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Penelope looked up at him. Jeru floated to sit down next to her. ¡°Humans haven¡¯t had powers in almost two-thousand years.¡± He shrugged. ¡°There are a few humans that have managed to make a name for themselves because of their tenacity over the millenia, but to most of the universe, humans are the weak, powerless cousins without a homeworld.¡± If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°You mean there are humans that aren¡¯t on earth?¡± ¡°I mean, New Earth is the seat of the humans, but it¡¯s considered an Elf colony complete with an Elf Governor, so any votes that they cast on the galactic stage have to go through the High Elf Alliance.¡± The blue Elf shrugged. ¡°A lot of races have long memories, and the running joke is that a human can¡¯t do anything without an Elf holding their hand.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Jeru eyed her. ¡°People usually have a lot different reactions than ¡®oh¡¯.¡± Penelope turned away. ¡°You can read my thoughts, and that¡¯s all you picked up on?¡± ¡°I mean, the barrage of questions is there too, but most loopers have gotten insulted, especially when it was an Elf that dragged them into this situation.¡± His voice was barely above a whisper. If it hadn¡¯t been inside her head, she might have had trouble hearing him. ¡°My life has been full of being underestimated and that I¡¯ll never become anything because of my deficiencies.¡± Penelope took a deep breath. ¡°After a while, I accepted that no one is going to believe in me and that it¡¯s easier for people to sabotage me than to accept that I might be able to make something of myself.¡± She sat up. ¡°Going it alone was easier than having to panic all the time waiting for the person I let close cut me off at the knees.¡± There was a long pause. ¡°So why open to me?¡± Jeru looked away to lessen the pressure she felt from his gaze. ¡°You¡¯re stuck with me.¡± She dusted herself off as she stood up. ¡°If you sabotage me, then you stay locked in here a little longer and I get a redo.¡± Penelope looked at the group that was approaching her. I know you¡¯re keeping stuff from me; with two thousand years of loops, how could you not? But at the end of the day, you¡¯re just a voice in my head. I¡¯ve dealt with my own for over twenty years, so I¡¯m just thinking of you as another inner voice. Penelope turned to look at him. When I clear this place and you get free, then things will be different, but until then, you¡¯re basically just another part of me. The blue Elf nodded. ¡°Never had it put like that.¡± Jeru looked at the other humans. ¡°Look, I¡¯m not sure what of what the others have been through will be helpful to you. At the end of the day, you¡¯re going to have to find a way that works for you, and the deeper we get, the less useful I¡¯m going to be.¡± He held out his hand. ¡°But I¡¯ll try to help you however I can.¡± Thanks. ¡°What have you been doing out here?" Frederica folded her arms as the others approached. Penelope shook her head and pointed at the monsters. ¡°I¡¯ve been watching the monsters to see if I could learn anything that might help us.¡± She paused. Jeru, do you have a way that I could show the others like a monster card? ¡°Sure, but you really only want to do it for the smaller monsters and not the Demons.¡± Why? ¡°Because the little ones are pretty easy to figure out later on. But if you show them the stats of the Shadows, they¡¯re going to start expecting it before every fight, and you can only give them what I¡¯ve seen, and I don¡¯t have all the information on all the Shadows on this floor and none of the information on the next ones.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Penelope nodded and flicked her hand to them. ¡°This is what we¡¯re up against.¡±
Demonic Turtle - Level 6 Demonic Lizard - Level 6
Power 9 Defense 13 Speed 4 Power 9 Defense 5 Speed 13
Magic 4 Recovery 5 Aura 5 Magic 5 Recovery 4 Aura 4
Skills: Barrier, Bite, Shell Spin Skills: Haste, Bite, Claw, Tail Smash
Passives: Tough Shell, Aggro Generation, Lockjaw Passives: Speed Boost, Scale Armor
The others stared at the stat cards that appeared in their menus. ¡°How long have you been able to do that?¡± Oakley gaped. ¡°I¡¯m guessing since I hit level ten.¡± Penelope shrugged. ¡°I was just playing with my menu and found it.¡± ¡°This is¡­¡± Ula scrunched her brow. ¡°What about the Shadow?¡± Penelope shrugged. ¡°No clue. It only has the monsters for the last five columns and nothing on the seventh column. I guess I have to get closer to scan them.¡± ¡°Well.¡± The tanned grandmother looked at the square. ¡°Let¡¯s see how we can use this.¡± Chapter 48 They walked in as a group. only blocked projectiles coming at the turtle, which stayed beside the Shadow Knight. Dawson¡¯s poison spells splashed off of the invisible dome without reaching the monster. The four lizards stayed behind the two Tank Demons, which forced Oakley to meet them head-on. Frederica had learned her lesson and was staying in stealth, but behind Ula, waiting for the moment when she could assassinate something. The party leader held her warhammer in both hands as she walked just behind their Tank. Everyone was tense as the two sides slowly advanced. Even though they had read the descriptions, Ula had still asked Penelope to release a volley as soon as the monsters got in range. ¡°Light Torrent!¡± Penelope pointed her wand at the turtle. Each projectile strained against her will as they were pulled towards the Shadow Knight. All four of them smeared across the barrier, cracking it but otherwise doing nothing to it. By the time Penelope was ready to cast a second round, the barrier had already been repaired. ¡°You have more mana than it does. You could destroy the barrier and take out the Shadow if you dump everything.¡± Penelope shrugged. ¡°Not my role.¡± She kept her wand pointed at the turtle, but the words of her spells never left her lips. ¡°ARRGGG!!!¡± Oakley started running. ROAR!!! The Shadow Knight moved forward to meet him with the lizards crouching behind the larger reptile. Penelope started moving to her left while Marlow and Dawson kept going forward. The moment that Ula got close enough to hit the Demon, the lizards moved like snapped springs. Penelope started running. ¡°LIGHT BEAM!¡± The spell shot out of her wand, tightened by the pull of the Shadow Knight, because she was aiming for the leader. With the turtle in the middle. Two of the lizards shot towards her, giving Frederica time to bury her daggers into the back of the head of one of the two that had attacked Ula. The older woman got knocked over but had the shaft of her weapon in the monster¡¯s mouth, lifting it up off of her as its nails screeched against her metal armor. ¡°Light Torrent!¡± Penelope just had to spread the apart behind her when she summoned the spell, and the magnetism did the rest for her. The globes of light ripped holes through the speeding reptiles, dropping them before they reached her. The barrier shattered like glass, unable to repair all the damage that the beam was doing. Once the barrier was down, the beam glanced off the shell of the turtle, then bent towards the Shadow Knight. Dawson started throwing his poison spells at the Demon while Frederica helped Ula up. The last lizard lay dead beside the women. The turtle started to attack Oakley, but the Demon roared again, and the car-sized reptile turned and started spinning towards Penelope. Its shell had started to crack, but that crack became impossible to see during the spin. Penelope canceled her beam spell and kneeled down on one knee. She pointed her wand at the monster¡¯s head level. ¡°Light Torrent! Light Torrent! Light Torrent!¡± The turtle was spinning fast, but there were five holes, and she only needed her spell to be dragged through one of them. Penelope had to run to get out of the way of the dead shell, but she managed to get up fast enough. With all the minions dead, it was just a matter of Ula and Oakley alternating hits until the shield came down. It didn¡¯t take long for the stacks of poison that Dawson kept throwing to slow the Demon down enough for Oakley to stagger it, then Ula knocked its shield wide, letting the Tank shield bash it. The Shadow fell backwards where Frederica was waiting to bury one of her daggers in each burning eye and send it back to the Abyss. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. The Magnetic Shield went to Oakley. He already had an enchanted shield, but this one had the skill on it, which allowed him to pull all ranged attacks towards him. It took them over thirty minutes to do that room, and the time didn¡¯t get any better. The turtles made things move so much slower because of their barriers. 6B had four turtles and the Shadow Warrior was able to cancel out their spells. Penelope made a show of using her only to have it canceled. Oakley was able to taunt the Demon out of the protective ring of the turtles, then Frederica assassinated it. The barriers came down, and all four turtles started spinning. Penelope sniped the lone lizard so the blonde could get clear, then their Tank took a beating while spinning shells rammed into him while the rest of them worked on breaking through the shells. The metal helmet was named and was what had given the Demon the ability to cancel spells. Even though it gave Power, it also gave Aura which made taunts stronger, so it went to Oakley. The whole thing took them over an hour to finish. 6C had four turtles as well, but the Demon leading this group was a Shadow Healer. It wouldn¡¯t leave the comfort of the barricade of the four living boxes, forcing Ula to work on a turtle while Frederica used her sneak attack to deal with the lizard that attacked their leader. Dawson got frustrated because he couldn¡¯t do anything since he refused to use an attack spell over his poisoning ones. Marlow had his hands full healing the three physical attackers because the Demon kept poisoning them. Penelope had to take a Mana Potion; she burned through so much with her to get through the barriers. But with her working on the same turtle as the two older women, they were able to kill it and open a way to get to the Demon. Frederica scrambled over the top of the dead turtle and buried her daggers in the Shadow Healer¡¯s face. Finishing off the other three turtles after that wasn¡¯t difficult; it just took time. Marlow got the named helmet that was more of a crown with sideburns. gave him two Recovery points as well as the spell. At that point it was almost four, so the group had just enough time to do another one before dinner. 6D was another Shadow Knight, but this one didn¡¯t have , but like the last two, it had four turtles. Compared to the previous ones, this square was much easier since they just had to deal with the Demon, who kept two turtles on either side of itself instead of in a ring around itself. Once the Demon was sent back, the turtles attacked, and it was just a matter of finishing the fight. It was their fastest fight and their biggest problem. was the loot drop. Something that increased poison damage was supposed to go to Dawson. But it also gave a point of Defense. Penelope walked away from the argument between Frederica and Dawson. ¡°What¡¯s happening with them?¡± Judah ran up to his new idol. ¡°They¡¯re arguing over loot.¡± Penelope pointed at the cooling meat. ¡°Is that lizard?¡± ¡°And turtle!¡± Patrick beamed as he waved for her to come over to where they had wedged spider legs under the overturned turtle shell. Inside was filled with water. Warm water. ¡°We thought after a few days of getting monster blood on you that you¡¯d want a chance to wash some of that off.¡± Judah swallowed as he ran over to the front of the shell. On either side, they had leaned a bottom plate on its side to form a wall. There was even a ladder that had been made by tying spider legs together. ¡°What did you use for rope?¡± Penelope pointed at the rungs that were secured in place. The younger man smiled. ¡°I grabbed spider webs!¡± He knocked on the wall. ¡°It even works like glue to hold something like this up.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Penelope nodded. ¡°This is impressive.¡± ¡°I can warm it up to whatever temperature you want!¡± Judah beamed, then glanced around. ¡°I promise that I won¡¯t let anyone else get near while you¡¯re taking a bath.¡± He pointed at the other wall, where eight robes were draped over the side. ¡°We¡¯ve got robes and clothes for you to change into!¡± His smile widened. ¡°I washed them all myself!¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Ah, someone has a puppy.¡± ¡°Not helping, Jeru.¡± Penelope tried to keep the growl only in her thoughts. ¡°... Sweet, but¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re the first one here, so you can go first!¡± He stuck his hand in the water. ¡°How warm do you want it?¡± ¡°Might as well enjoy some comfort.¡± Jeru appeared in front of her and motioned at the other group. ¡°Because I don¡¯t think you¡¯re doing any more today.¡± Penelope forced a smile. ¡°Judah, thank you. This is very thoughtful, but¡­¡± She steeled herself when his face dropped. ¡°I don¡¯t think I should jump in the bath until we know for sure that we¡¯re done fighting for the day.¡± ¡°Oh-kay¡­¡± The young man sighed as he stepped down the small ladder. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know as soon as I¡¯m ready, though.¡± She looked over at the base of the shell on the opposite side. ¡°Is that a stopper?¡± Judah¡¯s shoulders slumped. ¡°Yeah. Pat made it so we could drain the water between each bath. But it takes all my mana plus some to fill it.¡± He sighed. ¡°We don¡¯t think people are going to want to wait over an hour for their bath, so some people will have to share water.¡± ¡°I can fill the tub each time if you¡¯ll heat it up.¡± Penelope patted him on the shoulder. ¡°My mana recharges four times faster than yours, so I¡¯ll have enough mana to fill it back up again once someone is finished. ¡°That¡¯s a great idea! Thanks Penny!¡± Judah tried to hug her, but she took two quick steps back. He looked down. ¡°Oh. Sorry.¡± Penelope sighed. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re a hugger, and I¡¯m not.¡± She ignored the noises that Jeru was making in her head. ¡°Just try to remember that next time.¡± Penelope nodded at the other man. ¡°Why don¡¯t you show me what you¡¯ve cooked?¡± ¡°What about the others?¡± Patrick glanced at the other group. ¡°I think¡­¡± Penelope shook her head. ¡°They¡¯re going to be busy for a while.¡± Chapter 49 Dawson lost. It took over half an hour before he gave up and walked away. The defeated young man grabbed a frog leg and helmet of water and walked away, cursing under his breath the whole time. ¡°Well¡­¡± Ula¡¯s eyes lit up as she bit into one of the lizard steaks. ¡°This is good!¡± She swallowed the mouthful. "Well, Judah, do you want to join us this evening?¡± ¡°NO!¡± Frederica shot up. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember what he did!¡± She touched the back of her head that was hidden by a leather helmet. The older woman shrugged. ¡°You heard Dawson. He isn¡¯t going back out there with us unless you give him the necklace.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± The blonde looked around, then pointed at Patrick. ¡°Why can¡¯t he go?¡± ¡°You already have a Tank and don¡¯t need two.¡± The older man leaned back in the beetle shell that he had somehow turned into a lounge chair. ¡°I¡¯m better out here anyway.¡± ¡°But. But¡­¡± Frederica turned to the younger Tank beside her and slapped his shoulder. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to say something?¡± The young man swallowed the frog meat and looked around. He held up the leg a little. ¡°Good job on the meat!¡± ¡°Ugh! You¡¯re hopeless!¡± The blonde stomped her foot. ¡°Fine! But he doesn¡¯t use his magic!¡± ¡°I promise!¡± Judah bounced up and turned to Penelope. ¡°I¡¯ll stay right by you and¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± Penelope shook her head. ¡°Your job is to stand next to Marlow and use on anything that comes your way.¡± ¡°I just said¡ª¡± ¡°Fireblast has a range of thirty feet. You¡¯re going to be over fifty away from him.¡± Penelope cut the older woman off. She fought off a shiver as she cleared her throat. ¡°He won¡¯t be able to hit anyone with that as long as he stays in front of Marlow.¡± Frederica started to argue, but her eyes met Ula¡¯s, and she dropped the rant to an inaudible grumble. ¡°Great!¡± Ula clapped her hands. ¡°We¡¯ll plan to start back up at six, which will give us time to do two more rooms before we can think about bed.¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Penelope cleared her throat. ¡°If we only do two more squares, start at seven in the morning and go until eight again, taking an hour to eat¡ª¡± ¡°Just tell us the answer; we don¡¯t care that you can do all that fancy math without a calculator. You don¡¯t have to show off.¡± Frederica huffed. Penelope flinched but took a deep breath and continued. ¡°That gives us twenty-five hours to clear forty-five squares. We won¡¯t make it.¡± The blonde¡¯s fair skin paled as she shot to her feet. ¡°We¡¯re going to be down here when they all get out?¡± Ula motioned for the other woman to sit down. Once she¡¯d taken her seat, the grandmother turned to Penelope. ¡°What do you propose we do?¡¯ Penelope shoved her hands in the robe¡¯s large pockets so people couldn¡¯t see her squeezing her fists tight. ¡°We need to go until at least ten. That only gives us six more hours, which won¡¯t be enough, but we¡¯re also assuming that each square is going to take an hour.¡± She pulled her right hand out of her pocket and flicked it in a semicircle. ¡°Here.¡±
Demonic Monkey - Level 7 Demonic Rat - Level 7
Power 14 Defense 4 Speed 9 Power 9 Defense 4 Speed 14 If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
Magic 7 Recovery 4 Aura 4 Magic 7 Recovery 4 Aura 4
Skills: Dirt Clod, Bite, Slam, Enrage Skills: Haste, Bite, Claw, Tail Whip
Passives: Aiming, Grudge Passives: Infected Attacks, Evasion
¡°Eight is Wolves and Snakes. Nine is Boars and Scorpions. Ten looked like Lions and..." She swallowed. ¡°Rabbits.¡± ¡°Do you have the stats on them?¡± Ula looked up from her menu. Penelope shook her head. ¡°I can only get you the stats on stuff that is in a square that¡¯s next to the safe zone.¡± ¡°I forgot you said that already.¡± Ula shook her head. ¡°Well, neither of these look like they have any defensive skills, so as long as we coordinate our attacks, we should be fine.¡± The grandmother looked over at Judah. ¡°Though we probably shouldn¡¯t take him in there for his first outing.¡± ¡°I can do it!¡± Judah puffed out his chest. ¡°I¡¯ve been practicing!¡± The party leader shook her head. ¡°Let¡¯s stick with what we know right now and get you some levels, then we¡¯ll see about taking you into the seventh column.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The young man smiled. ¡°When are we going?¡± Ula stood up. ¡°Since we¡¯re on a time crunch, we¡¯ll head in there as soon as everyone is done eating.¡± ********** 6E had a Shadow Assassin leading the Demons with three turtles and two lizards. ¡°Make sure you keep the boss taunted.¡± Penelope glanced at Oakley. ¡°It should have at least an assassination skill, and it¡¯ll go for one of the three of us.¡± ¡°Will do.¡± Oakley nodded and they headed in. Penelope got closer to the group than she had been, just in case Oakely lost aggro with the boss and it decided to go after the backline. She focused on burning a hole through the barriers while Ula and Frederica took care of the lizards. When the Demon flexed right before it was going to teleport, she threw herself into a roll and pointed her wand where she had just been. ¡°LIGHT BLAST!¡± Her spell washed over empty air. The Shadow Assassin had hit Oakley, who was on his back with his shield over his chest as the Demon motioned for the turtles to move. ¡°LIGHT TORRENT!¡± As soon as the turtles started spinning, they dropped whatever remained of their barriers, which would have made them easier targets. Except one didn¡¯t. Her spell crashed into a fresh barrier while the other two turtles spun into the Tank. ¡°NO!¡± Frederica screamed, rooted in place. Ula had started moving, but her warhammer wasn¡¯t stopping the attack, and they had a larger issue. The Demon wasn¡¯t taunted anymore. The glowing red eyes focused on Penelope, but she could tell that they weren¡¯t looking at her, only trying to make everyone think it was. ¡°JUDAH! FIRE!!!¡± The young man looked confused but pointed his staff towards the Demon and released a wave of flames. The flames wouldn¡¯t have reached the Shadow Assassin even if the Demon hadn¡¯t teleported again, but that wasn¡¯t the point. Judah was in between Penelope and Marlow, and his flames had blocked the Demon¡¯s view of the three of them. It wasn¡¯t expecting Penelope to utter her spell under her breath and point the four right behind Marlow. The Shadow Assassin appeared with one of the four inside it. That was enough to stagger the Demon and give Penelope time to hit it with two more. The Demon dropped its loot and vanished back to the Abyss. Judah¡¯s eyes widened as he realized what had just happened. He stopped his spell and moved back behind the Healer. The rest of the fight was simple. Oakley got battered more than usual, but his armor was only dented, and Marlow was able to heal the bruises. The enchanted loot was leather pants with a point of Speed, which was given to Judah as his first piece of loot. The next square had a mace-wielding Shadow Warrior. It went as smoothly as 6B had and earned Ula a pair of metal leg guards that gave her two points in Power. 6G held a buffer, which they handled like they had 6C. It left behind the spell , which they held onto since it should have gone to Dawson. After they finished the square, Oakley and Frederica both hit level ten and got their mastery passives. 6H had a Shadow Knight, which they wore down like 6A and 6D. Ula and Marlow both hit level ten after they finished this square. The Demon left behind a ring that granted two points in Defense, which was claimed by Frederica for Oakley. 6I and 6J were both Shadow Assassins. Judah was more cautious, and Oakley was better prepared and didn¡¯t get knocked down either time. Frederica got a leather jacket and a pair of leather pants out of it; both gave her a point of Speed each. Penelope took one look at 7J and shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s three minutes until midnight. I think we¡¯re done.¡± The others agreed and started trudging back to the camp that Patrck was making. Penelope sighed as she rolled her shoulders. ¡°Are we going to have enough time?¡± ¡°Seven and eight go faster since the monsters aren¡¯t as tanky.¡± Jeru appeared in front of her. ¡°The challenge is going to be nine and ten.¡± He shook his head. ¡°The monsters in nine are tanky and ten, well¡­¡± The blue Elf shuddered and the next words held too much reverence. ¡°Has Demonic Rabbits¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m too tired to unpack that.¡± Penelope rubbed her eyes and yawned. ¡°That¡¯s a tomorrow me problem.¡± Chapter 50 Penelope woke up before five. Penelope groaned as she sat up. She¡¯d been too tired to use the bath, so she¡¯d slept in her dirty robe for the second night in a row. ¡°Isn¡¯t adventuring great!¡± Jeru had too wide of a smile for how early it was. ¡°It¡¯s awesome.¡± Her words dripped with so much sarcasm that even she could taste it as they left her mouth. She stretched and looked across the Dungeon at the other group. ¡°Are they awake yet?¡± Jeru sighed. ¡°Contrary to what you believe, my vision isn¡¯t much better than yours and I can only move around¡­¡± He moved about five feet away from her. ¡°... about this far from you.¡± The blue Elf motioned north. ¡°You saw everything I can.¡± Penelope sighed. She¡¯d made the trek back to her little stash in 1B and slept there, despite the others making camp in the corner of where 5E, 5F, 6E, and 6F met. Patrick had started making tents, but the whole thing smelled like monster guts, which wasn¡¯t much better than the copper smell that the bugs in the first column had started giving off. ¡°I guess I should start moving that way.¡± Penelope looked around at the few resources that she had. ¡°Maybe I should move this stuff closer.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a young man who would jump at the opportunity to move your stuff.¡± Jeru grinned. ¡°I mean, he made a bath for you and wanted to guard you while you were enjoying it.¡± ¡°Get your mind out of the gutter.¡± She growled as she picked up her stuff. ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I¡¯m not going to ask him for help.¡± She tapped the side of her head. ¡°You know what I think about that subject, and I don¡¯t want to encourage any more unwanted company than I already have.¡± ¡°Someone¡¯s cranky.¡± Jeru held up his hands to ward off her glare. ¡°Okay. Okay!¡± His lips cracked in a smile, and he tilted his head to meet her gaze. Penelope looked away the moment his eyes started to lock with hers. ¡°Why do you glare when you¡¯re not going to hold it if someone stares at you?¡± The blue Elf turned and shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know? The principle of it?¡± She sighed. ¡°Can you not be so bored in the morning?¡± ¡°I had to spend the last five hours with nothing but my thoughts and your dreams, which could use some work, by the way.¡± Jeru huffed. ¡°Forgive me if I could use some actual conversation before you run off to fight monsters and demand that I be silent.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you go longer than that with other people?¡± Penelope eyed the main camp, but no one was stirring. ¡°They had better dreams.¡± He grimaced. ¡°How do you dream of nothing?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s always been that way. I don¡¯t sleep much, and when I do, I rarely dream.¡± Penelope shrugged as she walked towards 4A. ¡°You know that¡¯s a recipe for a shorter life?¡± Jeru waffled his head. ¡°If you want, I could try to poke around in there¨C¡± ¡°NO!¡± Penelope sucked in her lips and clamped down on them. She glanced at the camp to see if her outburst had roused anyone. Look. I¡¯ve done the messing around with my head thing before. It made things worse, so I¡¯d rather not have to go through whatever it is you¡¯ll put me through and then take however long it will to get me back to where I am now. ¡°There are lots of different things that weren¡¯t available to you back on Earth.¡± The older man held up his hands. ¡°Just saying. We¡¯re going to be together for a while. If you want me to try to help, I¡¯ll be here.¡± Penelope swallowed. Thanks. Just. Let¡¯s get this floor over with before you start trying to rearrange my mind. ¡°Will do, mon cap-e-ton!¡± Penelope chuckled as she shook her head. Her chaotic parasite grinned. ¡°See, I¡¯m good at getting you to smile!¡± ¡°Sure¡­¡± She dropped her load near the outer wall. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go over these monsters with me until everyone wakes up and see if we can¡¯t find a way to make up some time?¡± ********** ¡°Four monkeys.¡± Frederica shivered. She adjusted the helmet that was covering the bald spot on the back of her head. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t it be something less... terrifying?¡± ¡°You¡¯re afraid of monkeys?¡± Dawson scoffed. The young man had decided to rejoin them this morning, much to Judah¡¯s disappointment. ¡°They¡¯re not that bad.¡± Penelope sized up the seven-foot-tall monstrosities. From what she knew about the monkeys back on Earth, gorillas didn¡¯t get that tall, but those that came close weighed over five hundred pounds. The monkeys were supposed to be melee attackers, and she couldn¡¯t imagine what it would feel like to get hit by one of their fists. ¡°The Demon doesn¡¯t look like it has a weapon, so it¡¯s either a poisoner or a healer.¡± Ula looked over at the blonde. ¡°Frederica, I want you to take it out as fast as you can.¡± She turned to the Tank. ¡°Oakley, make sure the monkeys stay off of her when Frederica gets clear.¡± The young man nodded while the woman beside him groaned. The older woman turned to their Healer. ¡°Marlow, something is probably going to happen to Oakley with a debuff, so be ready to cleanse it however you can.¡± She looked at the two Casters. ¡°I¡¯m going to go after the rat. You two try to pick off the monkeys as fast as you can.¡± The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Ula looked over the group again. ¡°Any questions?¡± When no one voiced any of the concerns on their faces, she nodded and put her helmet on. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Oakley was the first one through the barrier between 6A and 7A, with Ula and Frederica right behind him. The young man roared as he charged the group, only to stop to brace against the barrage of mud that the monkeys started throwing at him. His shield sagged as the Shadow Healer hit him with spell after spell. There was so much dirt flying that Frederica was having to move in a wide arc to get behind the monsters. Ula had to back up and help him stay on his feet as the attacks intensified. The rat shot across the square like a bullet aimed for the Casters. Penelope pointed her wand at the rodent. ¡°Light Torrent!¡± For the first time in a while, her first projectile missed. She had three more, and two of them tore through it, dropping the monster to slide towards her. Penelope picked up her sandaled foot and set it on the creature¡¯s tiny head to stop it from running into them. Penelope twisted her wand to regain control of her first and last projectiles. Ammonia filled her nostrils. She turned around to see Dawson pointing his staff in the direction of the dead monster, but there hadn''t been any spells launched. ¡°That¡­ that¡­ that¡­¡± The young man blinked, his heaving chest stopping him from saying more than one word. ¡°You¨Cthat¨C.¡± He swallowed. ¡°That would have got you if there¡¯d been two!¡± Penelope sighed. She was starting to get too accustomed to restarting if she died. While she didn¡¯t want to have to redo this run, she didn¡¯t have anything to lose other than time, and it was just a matter of reliving things, so she didn¡¯t really lose anything. ¡°Focus on the fight!¡± Penelope pointed at the main group. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be working on the monkeys!¡± ¡°Ri-ght!¡± Dawson blinked and turned his attention to the mud lobbers. ¡°Poison!¡± Penelope shook her head and took a few steps forward to get in range, then sent the two she had left at the closest monkey. The projectiles got within twenty feet when the monster pulled two handfuls of mud from behind it and threw them at the approaching threat. Both of her spells shattered. Jeru. Penelope growled. Did you forget to tell me that the monkeys can intercept projectiles? ¡°Do you have any idea how many monsters I¡¯ve seen?¡± The parasite grumbled. ¡°And look around you! It¡¯s not like anyone else here is using projectile spells!¡± You¡¯re right. Didn¡¯t think about that. Sorry. The irritation she¡¯d started to feel ebbed. ¡°LIGHT BEAM!¡± Penelope directed her wand at the monster that had just destroyed her spells. The beam hit the monkey in the face, but only for a second. The monster rolled to the left, chunking mud at her. Penelope had to run even though Oakley was screaming out his taunt. The monster was fixated on her, which meant it was her problem. She sidestepped the squishy volley with ease. She¡¯d been dodging projectiles ever since the beginning, and the globs of mud moved slower than spells. Given the distance between them, Penelope had plenty of time to move; unfortunately, so did the monster as it ran from the end of her light. As more projectiles landed around her, the smell that filled her nostrils informed her that the monkeys weren¡¯t just throwing mud. Jeru? ¡°Don¡¯t ask and I won¡¯t have to lie to you. Just don¡¯t step in it!¡± ¡°PENNY!!! HELP!¡± Dawson screamed farther behind her as a monkey chased him. The monsters were locking on to whoever was attacking them, and taunting was doing nothing. Penelope sighed and moved closer to her target. She was going to have to finish the fight she was in before she could help the other Caster. Given his low Speed stat, it wouldn¡¯t take long before he was run down. When she got within fifty feet, the monkey jumped up on the ceiling, then launched itself at her. A flick of her wrist was all it took at that point to evaporate its head. It couldn¡¯t dodge while it was in the air. She canceled the spell and started running towards the game of cat and mouse. Ula was fighting the last monkey with Frederica. The Demon and the third monkey were dead. They were having trouble hitting it because it had ripped off the arm of the dead one and was using it like a club. Its eyes were alert, and it moved around to keep the blonde assassin from getting behind it while keeping the others back with its fist and makeshift weapon. Penelope left them to the fight and ran after the fleeing man. ¡°Light Torrent!¡± The four projectiles shot towards their target. Penelope didn¡¯t expect them to hit, so she wasn¡¯t surprised when the monkey turned to face her and started throwing mud at her spell. ¡°Light Beam!¡± She was close enough that even with dodging, it wasn¡¯t long before she sliced through its neck. Penelope walked over to where the young man was panting on his back. She started to hold out her hand, but the man was covered in the pungent mud that she was certain wasn¡¯t just dirt. ¡°You okay?¡± She could see plenty of bruises under the green glow that was shrinking the wounds. ¡°I-I-IT TRIED TO KILL ME!¡± His teeth chattered as he spoke. It hadn¡¯t been the first time that a monster had attacked the Casters. The moles had abused them on multiple occasions, but all of those times, Dawson had been with the other Casters and hadn¡¯t been directly attacked since Marlow and Penelope had been the more dangerous targets. This was the first time that the young man had been on his own and facing down a monster. Penelope shook her head, then turned to the main group when she saw the barrier come down. Dawson would live, which was all she could worry about at the moment. The fight had gone faster, just over thirty minutes, but that wasn¡¯t cutting much time off of their previous column. ¡°Healer gloves!¡± Oakley held the ice-blue pieces of armor over his head and waved them at Marlow. ¡°That was rough.¡± Ula dropped her warhammer head down, put a boot on the bottom of the head, and leaned against the shaft. Her gaze drifted over to Penelope. ¡°What do you think, sweetie?¡± ¡°I think they can¡¯t be taunted. They retaliate against whoever attacks them, which makes them difficult to take care of because they chase down their target.¡± Penelope glanced over to where Dawson was ranting to Marlow. She turned back to the leader and pulled her hood farther over her face so the other woman wouldn¡¯t be able to tell that Penelope wasn¡¯t looking her in the eyes. ¡°What do you think we should do about it?¡± The older woman motioned at the rest of the team. ¡°Because I don¡¯t think we can survive many more of those.¡± ¡°Dawson and I should focus on the same one. It shouldn¡¯t be able to intercept both of our spells.¡± Penelope hummed. ¡°If Frederica goes after the Demon and then helps you with the one you¡¯re fighting, then we should be able to whittle them down.¡± Ula looked over at where the Healer was listening to the other man rant. ¡°What about the rats?¡± ¡°I can stay close and use to handle the rats. Since it¡¯s an AoE, they won¡¯t be able to dodge, and then I can help Dawson work on the monkey.¡± Penelope closed her eyes and took a few deep, even breaths. ¡°Let¡¯s try that then.¡± The party leader raised her voice. ¡°We¡¯re going to take a break for a few to let our resources regenerate, then we¡¯re going to do the next room!¡± Chapter 51 7B went a lot smoother. The Demon in charge of the square was a Shadow Caster that used dark affinity magic. Frederica was able to assassinate it after Penelope dealt with the lone rat. Once the Demon and rat were down, they utilized their strategy of focusing two on a monster and finished the fight in much better shape. The enchanted item they looted was a pair of pants that gave a point of Magic and the spell. Since Penelope needed the pants to keep her Recovery at ten, Dawson took the pants and allocated the ones he was wearing to Judah. 7C was led by a Shadow Knight in black armor. It also had four rats and a single monkey. Frederica used her stealth to wound the monkey, then Ula finished it off. The rats tried to spread out to swamp Marlow, which forced Penelope to stand back to back with the older man, careful to stay close but not touch. Dawson went to help the melee group with the enemy Tank, but she was able to cast out of her wand and left hand with Jeru on watch. The Black Belt had a point of Defense on it, but Oakley had the named belt, so they gave it to Dawson. The Poison Mage hit level ten in the square, giving him the same mastery in his chosen element like the others had received. The group fell into a rhythm as they adapted to the other party members'' techniques. No one was going to learn a new skill until they cleared the first floor, which allowed them to expect the response that a party member would have. They managed to get the rooms cleared down to just under thirty minutes, though with the downtime in between to recover their mana and stamina, the squares were taking about thirty-five minutes. They¡¯d started at seven, and they finished Column 7 just after one in the afternoon. Penelope sat at her isolated spot in 5A and ate her meal of roasted lizard. There hadn¡¯t been any upgrades for her in the items that they¡¯d looted, leaving her to still lacking an enchanted belt or helmet. ¡°Well.¡± Jeru sat down across from her. ¡°Thirty more squares to go in just under forty-three hours. When you take out eight hours for sleeping and thirty minutes to eat¡­¡± His voice trailed off as Penelope¡¯s mind did the math for him. ¡°It¡¯s only thirty if you count the boss room, and the last eight hours don¡¯t really matter because the barrier is coming down at the end of the boss fight either way, so we could just let time wind down and then we¡¯d have the entire floor to fight it on.¡± She leaned against the outer wall of the Dungeon, the party in full view. Judah was walking towards her. ¡°Ah, the puppy is back.¡± The Elf chuckled. ¡°Not helping¡­¡± Penelope growled under her breath. ¡°Penelope! Great news!¡± The young man was running up to her with a huge smile on his face. ¡°Dawson said he¡¯s done for the day, and when Grandma Ula started arguing with him, he said he was done, took off his armor, and walked away!¡± His face beamed. ¡°I get to fight with you now!¡± Penelope hid her snide comment in a cough. Dawson was always getting fed up with fighting. She was surprised it had taken him this long to call it quits. ¡°They gave you all of his gear?¡± ¡°Yep!¡± Judah was all smiles. ¡°Now I get to fight next to you!¡± ¡°Puppy lovin¡¯, happened so fa-ast.¡± Jeru started singing in her mind. ¡°Puppy lovin¡¯, had me a bla-ast.¡± You¡¯re not helping. Penelope let the growl in her throat mix with her thoughts. It¡¯s not even summer and how do you know¡­ Penelope answered her question with the response that he¡¯d given every time. She smiled at the young man. ¡°Are they ready for us to start?¡± The black-haired man nodded. ¡°Grandma Ula said that we need to start soon!¡± Penelope stood up. ¡°Then we should head over to 8A.¡± The rest of the party started moving and reached the square at about the same time. Ula cleared her throat as she looked at the other five people. ¡°I know you¡¯re tired, but we¡¯re not done yet.¡± The tanned woman pointed at the portal to the south. ¡°There are hundreds of people on the other side of that portal that are level one.¡± She turned back north. ¡°You¡¯ve seen how much trouble we¡¯ve had and how close it¡¯s gotten and we¡¯re¡­¡± Her eyes drifted over Judah. ¡°Almost all of us are level ten. Could you imagine what would have happened to us if we tried to fight these monsters at the beginning without any gear?¡± Frederica looked bored, but the older woman had the three men¡¯s full attention. ¡°We¡¯re going to do the A row so we can gauge how much time we¡¯re going to need for each room.¡± She nodded at 8A, then looked at Penelope. ¡°Does anyone have any insights?¡± Penelope cast the information about the monsters to the other party members.
Demonic Wolf - Level 8 Demonic Snake - Level 8
Power 9 Defense 7 Speed 15 Power 10 Defense 4 Speed 15
Magic 5 Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Recovery 4 Aura 4 Magic 4 Recovery 7 Aura 4
Skills: Bite, Claw, Howl Skills: Bite, Coil, Strike
Passives: Pack Tactics, On the Hunt Passives: Heat Vision, Scales, Venom
¡°On the Hunt says that they can detect people in stealth.¡± Penelope closed her eyes. ¡°We won¡¯t be able to rely on Frederica to assassinate the Demons on that column. Ula nodded. ¡°The Demon doesn¡¯t have a weapon, so it¡¯s a Debuffer or Healer.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°We¡¯ll approach it like we do after Frederica is out of stealth. She¡¯s with me dealing with what comes at Oakley, while our ranged people cover Marlow and deal with anything that goes after him.¡± ¡°It looked like both of these monsters are melee, so..." The tanned grandmother looked at Judah. ¡°Make sure you aren¡¯t throwing spells into people. We¡¯ll try to stay out of your way, but don¡¯t get reckless.¡± She looked around. ¡°Any questions?¡± Everyone shook their heads. Ula waved for Oakley to go. ¡°Let¡¯s do it!¡± Oakley walked into the square with the other two women and let out a yell. As soon as the three of them were about ten feet inside, the three magic-users walked in. Penelope twisted her wand. ¡°Light Torrent!¡± The three wolves grouped together; their shoulders were over four feet off the ground, making them the size of a smaller horse. The canine¡¯s thick gray fur turned metallic as the Shadow Buffer cast a spell on them. The lead one released a howl that sent ice down Penelope¡¯s veins. Despite the fear that was accelerating her heart, she couldn¡¯t tear her eyes off of it, even though she knew that the snakes were each moving towards them along the outer edges of her range. The monstrosities were three feet wide and over ten feet long. The horns pointing off the back of their skulls made them look like they had a more Dragon-shaped face than a serpent one. Their teeth also gave that impression as the jaw full of sharp predator¡¯s teeth hungered to tear into something. The monster¡¯s dark, rainbow scales turned silver as the Demon¡¯s spell began to affect them as well. ¡°FOCUS!¡± Jeru¡¯s voice snapped her out of the frozen stupor. Penelope blinked, then pointed her wand at the lead wolf. Oakley was busy trying to handle all three of the monsters that were pouncing on him and he needed help. ¡°LIGHT TORRENT!¡± The four appeared behind her and shot into the biggest wolf. The first spell cracked the silver covering the canine¡¯s face. The second tore the covering off and knocked the wolf to the side. It howled as it rolled and scrambled to its feet; the gray fur contrasted against the silver metal. The monster sneered, letting a low growl escape from the damaged side of its face. Penelope directed the other two to hit each of the other two wolves in between the eyes. They whimpered as the impact broke their attacks. ¡°ULA!¡± Marlow pulled his crossbows off his hips and pointed the weapons. Penelope turned and saw what he was screaming about. One of the snakes had coiled around their leader. The older woman was struggling to keep its mouth from closing over her head. ¡°Keep healing her!¡± Penelope ran past the Healer, pushing the crossbow in his right hand down. ¡°I¡¯ll get her! Light Torrent!¡± A green glow covered the restrained woman while four balls of light slammed into the monster holding her. The snake uncoiled, throwing Ula across the floor as it did. Its slitted eyes locked onto Penelope and promised death as the serpent wove across the floor, mouth wide open. ¡°Light Beam!¡± She aimed down the monster¡¯s throat. She¡¯d expected the beam to cut out the other side, but the snake collapsed like an accordion, its head ending up sideways as it slid to a stop. Penelope canceled the spell and looked around to see who needed her help next. Ula was standing next to Marlow, catching her breath. Judah was summoning an eruption of fire from the ground, which looked impressive and would inflict a lot of damage if he ever hit anything with it. The you man hadn¡¯t connected with anything, but it was forcing one of the smaller wolves to retreat. Oakley was doing a better job of weathering the pair of wolves and Frederica had the other snake trying to grab her while she sliced at it with her shadow-covered daggers. Penelope found the Shadow Buffer in the middle of it, its glowing silver eyes were focused on Judah even though it was casting a buff spell to fix the damage to the protection on the lead wolf. Penelope ran to the west side of the square, where Judah had gone too far from the rest of the group. When she got closer, she realized that the wolf wasn¡¯t acting scared; instead, it was happily leading him away from the group. ¡°Judah! Get back here!¡± Penelope pointed her wand towards the Demon. ¡°Light Beam!¡± A metal plate formed in front of the Demon, forcing Penelope to cancel the spell. The little bit of light that she had released bounced off the metal and shot towards Oakley. It wasn¡¯t much, so when it hit his shield, he didn¡¯t even flinch, taking it like it had been just another attack from the wolves. ¡°Light Torrent!¡± Penelope kept her wand pointed at the Demon. The four balls shot through the distance between them. A ring of metal shards appeared around the Demon. The sound that escaped the Shadow Buffer resembled gravel filling a metal bucket more than a laugh, but the enjoyment was unmistakable. ¡°Light Torrent!¡± Penelope sent the next four towards the wolf, leading Judah away. ¡°Light Torrent!¡± She focused the next cluster at the leader. The second attack was half-hearted as she blasted the wolf, knocking it on its side. Judah took the opportunity to raise another pair of pillars out of the ground, the second one succeeding in melting a hole through the middle of the prone monster. ROAR! Penelope just shook her head as the Demon turned its full attention to her. ¡°The fight is over.¡± She sighed as she started backing up to get out of range of the incoming metal shards. Frederica plunged both of her daggers into the Demon¡¯s neck, reducing it to a pile of items. Ula stood over the snake, her warhammer resting in the monster¡¯s caved-in head. The only monster still alive. It attacked Oakley with the fervor of a desperate animal, but the stone-skinned man held his ground. ¡°FIRE¡ª!¡± ¡°HEY!¡± Penelope stepped in between Judah and the last monster. ¡°You got one; don¡¯t shoot into your allies!¡± She forced the tip of his staff down. ¡°Save your mana. We¡¯re going again once we catch our breath.¡± The look of disappointment vanished from his face as fast as it had appeared. ¡°You saw that, right? I got one! You saw me right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Penelope sighed. ¡°But you were about to cast a spell on allies.¡± ¡°But I can aim¡ª!¡± ¡°No!¡± She tapped him on the head with her wand. ¡°There was a very specific rule about you casting spells in the direction of people again.¡± She pointed at the almost dozen scorch marks on the stone floor. ¡°You can¡¯t hit anything that¡¯s on its feet, and you still recover mana too slowly.¡± The young man lowered his head. ¡°Sorry.¡± Penelope didn¡¯t know what else to say but took the barrier falling as a good reason to leave. ¡°Just do better next time and try not to get so caught up in the fight that you forget your role.¡± She left the downcast man as she walked east towards the next room. ¡°You¡¯re not going to point out how that wolf was leading him away to kill him?¡± Jeru appeared in front of her and cast a disapproving gaze at the sulking man. Penelope shook her head. I¡¯ll keep an eye on him in the next one. No reason to destroy his confidence by taking the win away. Chapter 52 - Could You Always Do That? They held onto the spell the Demon left behind. Oakley and Ula were the only two with an Aura stat over ten. Oakley already had , and Ula didn¡¯t need a buffing skill, so they stashed the page with on it to give to one of the reinforcements once they finished the first floor and could let people know what the rules about entering and exiting the Dungeon were. The rest of the afternoon went smoother, with them spending about forty minutes in each square. After they finished 8F, they stopped for dinner. 8B was much easier. The Demon leading the monsters had a longsword and focused on Oakley with the three wolves. Ula and Frederica paired up to deal with one of the snakes while Penelope dealt with the other, and then they picked off the monsters swarming their Tank. The Caster in 8C had a spell that knocked them back but no way to intercept incoming magic. Two casts later, and Penelope had dropped the Demon, which allowed everyone else to focus on the smaller monsters. 8D and 8E both had a Shadow Archer. Their range was wider than hers, but that just forced her to stay farther back and pick off the smaller monsters, and then the group was able to focus on the Demon in charge. Judah hit level ten when they finished 8E, giving him . 8F was the last square that had more wolves than snakes. The Demon in command of that square gave the monsters shadows on their claws and fangs, which made the monsters more dangerous, but since they were going to stop to eat and it would be an hour before they resumed, Penelope dumped all of her mana into casting all nine times that she could in quick succession. She shredded the three wolves, one of the snakes, and wounded the other snake. The rest of the group gaped at her before they finished off the remaining monsters. Once they reached the camp, the others were still in shock over the scene of carnage that Penelope had rained down. ¡°How¡­¡± Judah¡¯s eyes were wide as he watched her sit down. ¡°How did you do that?¡± ¡°I practiced.¡± Penelope reached for more of the dry jerky. Without Judah to cast fire or water spells, the meat that Patrick harvested hadn¡¯t been cooked, so instead of gathering more, he had continued to harvest monster parts while they had worked on the squares. ¡°I don¡¯t think I could ever practice enough to be that good.¡± The young man offered her a helmet of water. ¡°Thanks.¡± Penelope kept her eyes down. The gaze of everyone felt suffocating as their minds still processed what she¡¯d done. ¡°Have you been able to do that the entire time?¡± Frederica broke the silence. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Penelope swallowed the dry meat and washed it down with the helmet water. ¡°Kill everything that fast.¡± The blonde looked around for support. ¡°Come on! You all were thinking it! We¡¯ve been slaving away while Miss Precious over there could have been clearing these rooms by herself!¡± She touched the back of her head. ¡°If she had, then we¡¯d be out of here by now and I wouldn¡¯t be disfigured!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re disfigured.¡± Oakley put his hand behind the older woman. ¡°That¡¯s sweet, but you have to say that.¡± Frederica patted his leg and looked at Marlow and Ula. ¡°Seriously? Neither of you?¡± The party leader cleared her throat. ¡°You¡¯re embarrassing yourself, Frederica.¡± She held up her hand as the blonde tried to argue. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± Ula locked eyes with the other woman until the blonde broke the staring contest and backed down. ¡°Penelope¡­¡± The tanned grandmother turned to the youngest woman. ¡°Sweetie. Frederica is being dramatic, but she raises a good point. How long have you been able to throw around spells like that?¡± Penelope shrugged. ¡°It takes me twenty-six minutes to recharge my mana, twice that if we¡¯re in combat.¡± She swallowed. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to hold some in reserve in case we run into trouble while we¡¯re in one of the squares.¡± Penelope glanced around at the group. Their shocked faces were starting to fade. ¡°So I could do that every other square, but that would stop me from being able to cover people. If you want me to rotate with Judah, so¡ª¡± ¡°NO!¡± Frederica shot to her feet. Her face flushed when she realized that she¡¯d yelled. ¡°I mean, no.¡± ¡°What about how you blasted apart those monsters?¡± Marlow wiped his hands on his robe. ¡°None of us have anywhere close to that accuracy.¡± ¡°I have good hand-eye coordination.¡± Penelope swallowed the last of her meal and tried to change the topic. ¡°We still have four more squares left in the eights, and they all have more snakes than wolves.¡± Penelope selected the button on her menu for sharing the stats of monsters.
Demonic Boar - Level 9 Demonic Scorpion - Level 9 Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Power 8 Defense 16 Speed 8 Power 4 Defense 11 Speed 9
Magic 4 Recovery 4 Aura 6 Magic 7 Recovery 10 Aura 5
Skills: Rush, Gore, Bite Skills: Claw, Sting
Passives: Thick Hide, Uncontrollable Passives: Venom, Scale Armor
¡°Here¡¯s what we¡¯re up against in the nines and I¡¯d like to do at least one of those squares so I can see what we¡¯re up against in the tens¡­¡± Penelope looked north. ¡°9F looks like the only Caster in the nines. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve gotten a piece of gear, so I¡¯d like to try that one.¡± ¡°Uncontrollable?¡± Oakley groaned. ¡°What¡¯s the point of being able to tank if I can¡¯t make things focus on me?¡± ¡°But with a low Recovery stat!¡± Judah beamed. ¡°Penny will be able to shred them!¡± Penelope scooted away from her fan. ¡°Probably, but they have , and if I can¡¯t deal with them before they reach Marlow, then he¡¯s going to have problems.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± The young man¡¯s face fell. ¡°I can use my if that¡¯ll help¡­¡± Penelope nodded. ¡°The main issue is going to be the scorpions.¡± She looked towards their Healer. ¡°You didn¡¯t learn any poison healing spells?¡± The older man shook his head. ¡°Not specifically, but I do have a spell that could work, but since it¡¯s a catch-all, it won¡¯t purge the toxins as fast as a targeted would.¡± He tapped the side of his head. ¡°I read the detailed description.¡± ¡°Which means we¡¯re going to have to try to keep from getting poisoned.¡± Ula looked over at the other older woman. ¡°But there¡¯s nothing to stop you from assassinating the boss, so we¡¯ll be able to start doing that again.¡± Frederica smiled triumphantly. ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll be able to get out of here before someone dies.¡± Penelope winced, remembering how many times the first group had perished while she learned the basics. There had been too many close calls, and while she didn¡¯t want to do a restart, she was determined to finish the first floor without anyone dying, even if that meant having to redo the floor fifty times. ¡°Well.¡± Ula stood up and looked east at the remaining rooms in the eighth column, then looked at Penelope. ¡°How about we do 9F first, then we can finish up the eights?¡± Penelope tried to hide her excitement as she thought about the actual helmet and not just a hood that was attached to her robe. She smiled. ¡°Sounds great.¡± ¡°Finish eating.¡± Ula looked around at everyone. ¡°We need to get started as soon as we can.¡± Penelope looked at her clock as she walked towards the next square.
Dungeon Floor 1 - Day 3 - 6:24pm
Time Remaining: 1:13:30:43
There was still a lot of time left, but they had twenty-four squares to go, and one of those was the floor boss. What is the boss like? Penelope looked at the one square on the entire floor that was shrouded. ¡°It changes every time.¡± Jeru had a remorseful tone in his voice in her head. ¡°There are ten different monsters that I¡¯ve seen in there, and it¡¯s always six different ones.¡± He sighed. ¡°It¡¯s one of the things that isn¡¯t set on the floor, which is what makes it more difficult to gauge.¡± The blue Elf appeared in front of her. ¡°If you triggered the boss right now, then you might get one, two, three, four, five, and six. But reset because someone dies and change a few things in your run and you might see one, three, four, seven, eight, and ten the next time.¡± ¡°Great.¡± Penelope stopped in front of 9F. So I have no idea what I¡¯m walking into, and even if you reset, I won¡¯t know because unless I do things exactly the same up until the boss room, then the monsters inside it will change. She looked over her shoulder to see how close the rest of her group was. How many times do people have to reset against the boss? Penelope turned back to face the square. The others were less than half a square away. ¡°Some people have spent months on the first floor and never gotten past the boss. They usually get frustrated with the 151,200 different combinations that they can run into and quit once they get a string of difficult ones.¡± Jeru shrugged. ¡°There have been some that have cleared it on the first go. But that was only a couple of loopers.¡± Penelope took a deep breath. ¡°No pressure.¡± ¡°What?¡± Judah walked around her. ¡°Just nerves.¡± Penelope tried to smile. ¡°One more day, and then we¡¯re done.¡± ¡°I know, it¡¯s so exciting!¡± The young man was grinning from ear to ear. ¡°Grandma Ula told us that once we open the second floor, we¡¯re going to have to split up the party so we can level other people.¡± His cheeks flushed. ¡°Since we¡¯re both Casters, we probably won¡¯t end up on the same team.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Penelope realized that she hadn¡¯t thought about how they were going to level all the people who would join them on the second floor. ¡°Yeah, I guess you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± He tapped the stone floor with the tip of his sandal. ¡°Would you¡ª¡± ¡°Come on!¡± Frederica grumbled as she took out her daggers. ¡°I¡¯d like to at least be able to try to get some sleep tonight!¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Judah glanced at the blonde before looking back at her. ¡°We can talk tonight after we finish!¡± He hurried over to where Marlow was waiting to walk into the square. ¡°Puppy luv¡ª¡± Jeru started singing. Don¡¯t. Penelope shook her head as she waited for Oakley to walk in. Chapter 53 The boars charged the moment they stepped through the barrier. Penelope was the second one through the barrier. Her wand twirled in the air as she focused on the boars. The hump on the back of the monsters reached Oakley¡¯s shoulder, making them the largest monster that they had faced. A second set of tusks grew out of the boar¡¯s mouth, and with the pair of horns that sprouted out of the top of its head, each boar was equipped with three sets of horns. A second set of smaller eyes blinked above the monster¡¯s main eyebrows, adding to the assurance that it wasn¡¯t a normal animal. ¡°Light Torrent!¡± Penelope guided the balls of light into the face of the closest boar. It took all four of them to put down the charging monster, but it was enough to keep it off of the Tank. Frederica slipped through the barrier further to the east, running as silent as a whisper around the brewing fight, her eyes set on the Demon. Ula was through next, charging towards the giant scorpions. The ceiling was closer to twelve feet high at this point in the Dungeon, and the bend in the scorpion¡¯s tail could reach the ceiling. Its pinchers were like a giant pair of scissors with blades longer than yardsticks. Green poison oozed out of the barb on its tail as all of its many eyes burned with hatred as they focused on the human encased in metal. Marlow was already chanting a spell as he walked through the barrier with Judah. The pair were on high alert as the boars turned their attention from the party leader to the squishier combatants. ¡°Light Torrent!¡± Penelope focused her attention on the closest monster. ¡°Judah! Cover the left!¡± She stepped to her right to give him a clear line of sight on the third and final boar. A stream of fire shot past her as she focused on the charging boar. Penelope had to move farther to her right so that the running mass of bacon would turn. When it died, the momentum kept it moving until it rolled into the barrier. The Demon screamed just before its head rolled across the stone floor and out of the helmet, then disintegrated into smoke. Frederica flicked the black blood off of her and stood over the loot pile with a triumphant smile on her face. Her victory pose lasted only a few seconds before Ula started yelling at her to help with the scorpion. The party leader was banged up, with multiple dents in her metal armor. Oakley¡¯s taunt was only holding one of the monsters at a time, even with his group taunt, which left the other armored person to off-tank. ¡°PENNY!¡± Marlow¡¯s voice tore her focus away from the battle in front of her. Judah had a deep gash in his stomach, and his right arm was covered in blood, hanging by his side. The young man had dropped his staff and was trying to cast with just one hand, but his usual bad aim was even worse. A green glow was pulling the red back inside the Caster, but not faster than the monster could remove it. ¡°Light Torrent!¡± Penelope turned her focus to the monster attacking her companion. The all lined up, smashing one after another into the side of the monster. Without it in the middle of a , the spell was more effective, the second one opening up the monster¡¯s thick hide, allowing the following balls of light to pierce inside. ¡°GRAWWW!!!¡± The Demonic Boar heaved and fell over on its side. JERU! Penelope couldn¡¯t see the young man on the other side of the mountain of uncooked bacon. Is he okay? Penelope didn¡¯t have a healing spell, so she wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything more than pour a potion on the wounds. ¡°I can only see what you can see.¡± The blue Elf floated up towards the ceiling and shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t tell, but his injuries didn¡¯t look life-threatening." ¡°UGH!¡± Penelope turned her attention back to the fight. All three boars and the Demon leader were dead, leaving them with just the two gigantic scorpions to finish off. ¡°Light Torrent! Light Torrent!¡± Penelope looped the balls up towards the ceiling, then sliced her wand down, dropping the like shooting stars over her allies heads. Ula was heaving as she swung her War Hammer back and forth, knocking the giant pincers back while Frederica wove behind the monster, jabbing her dagger through the joints in the armor, trying to destabilize a leg. The spells rained down, leaving smoke rising from the cracks in the giant bug¡¯s back. But the weakened shell didn¡¯t help either of the melee allies because they couldn¡¯t reach the damaged section without opening themselves up to a pincher or the tail. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Light Torrent! Light Torrent!¡± Penelope twisted her wand around in the air. ¡°I¡¯m going to hit the base of the tail!¡± Frederica took two hops backwards while the stinger shot across the monster''s back. Ula managed to deflect the attack but staggered. Penelope diverted a pair of to aim at the face, forcing the monster to pull back its pincers to protect itself. The remaining projectiles slammed into the base of the tail from either side. ¡°I¡¯VE GOT THIS!¡± Frederica¡¯s daggers grew longer as shadows wrapped around the blades, dripping black ichor on the stone floor. ¡°DECAPITATE!¡± The blonde slashed both of her weapons and sliced clean through the cracked shell protecting the base of the tail. The amputated appendage squirmed on the stone like a panicked worm while the giant monster shrieked and twisted away from the group. ¡°Oh, no, you don¡¯t!¡± Ula hefted her warhammer over her head, then spun it around her body in a 360-degree arc. ¡°Earthen SLAM!¡± The head of the warhammer slammed into the side of the monster, knocking it over. As the flailing monster tried to right itself. Frederica began running at it. She threw herself into the air, both of her shadowy blades over her head. ¡°BACKSTAB!¡± The blades sank into the monster¡¯s back, dropping its legs out from under it. The base of the tail quivered as the monster tried to use the lost appendage. Its pincers were too short to reach the target on its back, snapping at empty air over its head. ¡°BACKSTAB! BACKSTAB! BACKSTAB!!!¡± The giant monster let out a single sigh, then stopped moving. Frederica wiped the blue blood off of her face with the back of her glove, but that just smeared it more. ¡°We did it!¡± The blonde held up one of her swords as she breathed heavily. ¡°A little help!¡± Oakley grunted as the monster he¡¯d been tanking began to bend his shield. The giant scorpion had both pincers on either side of the top of the shield, locking the young man in place, while its stinger hovered overhead, waiting to strike. ¡°LIGHT TORRENT!!!¡± Penelope directed her projectiles at the barb. One after another, they slammed into the tip while the tail struck at the defenseless Tank. A severed appendage slammed into Oakley¡¯s helmet, knocking his hands off of the shield and sending him rolling across the cold stone floor. KREE!!! The giant bug threw the bent shield away and turned its attention to the three women. ¡°Come on, you overgrown fish bait!¡± Ula slammed her right boot on the stone. ¡°SHOCKWAVE!¡± The solid stone trembled like it was made of gravel. The Demonic Scorpion struggled to maintain its balance, keeping it in place while the others recovered. ¡°I¡¯m out¡­¡± Frederica heaved. ¡°Of stamina¡­¡± She held up her hand. ¡°Gimme a sec.¡± The monster seemed to sense their weakness and turned towards the prone Tank. ¡°How many times can you do that?¡± Penelope looked at the party leader. ¡°Do what?¡± ¡°Shockwave!¡± Penelope flexed her fingers on her left hand. ¡°Three more times, but why¡ª¡± ¡°Just keep it locked in place!¡± Penelope pointed her wand and left palm at the monster. ¡°LIGHT BEAM!¡± A stream of light shot out of the tip of her wand. Penelope thrust out her free hand. ¡°LIGHT BEAM!¡± KREE!!! The monster flailed as it tried to get its claws in the way of the burning light. It started moving away from her spells. ¡°SHOCKWAVE!¡± The monster stumbled and fell as it failed to maintain its balance and defend against the spell. Its legs scraped at the rolling stone as it failed to find its footing. ¡°SHOCKWAVE!¡± Ula didn¡¯t wait for all the tremors to die down before she let out another one. The monster flailed its pincers, but the longer Penelope maintained the spell, the more powerful it became. Shell melted, then the twin beams chewed through the soft flesh underneath. Penelope released the spell when the barrier came down, before the beams broke through the other side. Penelope swallowed and blinked away the fog as she checked her stats.
Penelope Flynn
Level 10 - Spellshot
Experience 900/ ¨C
Stamina 4/44
Mana 3/78
4 Power 3 Defense 12+3 Speed
19+4 Magic 8+2 Recovery 6 Aura
Air Damage +5% Nature Damage +5% Water Damage +5% Fire Resistance 5% Metal Resistance +5% Poison Resistance +5%
¡°That could have gone better.¡± Jeru shook his head. ¡°We won.¡± Penelope looked over at the southern side, where Marlow was tending to Judah. She let out the breath that she¡¯d been holding when the young man sat up and leaned back against the dead boar. Frederica helped Oakley stand while Ula looked over the square. ¡°The rooms are getting harder.¡± The grandmother shook her head. ¡°This one took us almost an hour, and we¡¯re all going to have to rest up before we can do the next one.¡± She looked over at 8G, then at the rest of her party. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a long night.¡± Chapter 54 Penelope pulled off the helmet. She held the hard black material in her hand while her mind reeled from the evening.
Darkness Hood Magic +1 Dark Resistance +6%
It had been her reward for clearing 9F, but the reward felt hollow. They¡¯d drunk potions to top themselves back off, but Judah had been too shaken to keep going. It hadn¡¯t taken Frederica long to convince Dawson to sub back in for the rest of the day. Dawson¡¯s poison had worked well against the lower number of wolves, while Penelope had focused on the snakes with Oakley. They¡¯d cleared the four squares and then moved on to 9J. The fights had gone a little better, but it was still after midnight before they called it. Penelope leaned forward as she pulled her dirty red hair out of the scrap of one of the Demon¡¯s robes that she¡¯d started using to tie up her hair after her rubber band had snapped for a second time. She sighed as she sank back against the barrier. ¡°You know, you could take a bath.¡± Jeru wrinkled his nose. ¡°I can¡¯t smell, and even I can tell you stink!¡± Penelope shook her head.Not with this pervert waiting to sneak a... ¡°I heard that!¡± The blue Elf slid in front of her. ¡°Do you know how many times I¡¯ve seen you¡ª¡± He bit off the rest of the sentence. Her eyes widened. ¡°You little¡ª!¡± She couldn¡¯t find the words to finish. ¡°Just how many times have you spied on me!¡± Jeru vanished. ¡°Nate was in the loop for five-hundred-twenty-eight years!¡± His mental shrug ran through her. ¡°You think I kept count?¡± Penelope was still wearing her red robe, but she felt very naked. The parasite in her head had seen her doing things that she couldn¡¯t remember. Things that this version of her had never done. She touched a finger to her lips as she thought about the kiss. It had felt so familiar, yet¡­ ¡°It¡¯s the echo.¡± Jeru appeared in front of her again with his hands up. ¡°For the record, it doesn¡¯t matter if I close my eyes. I can¡¯t stop seeing.¡± He peeked around his fingers. ¡°I did learn how to focus on a different area than where the Looper is looking a few hundred years ago, but even then, when the Looper is emotionally wrapped up in what they are doing, their focus becomes everything, and I¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine!¡± Penelope glanced over at the camp to see if anyone had reacted to her outburst. She was back at 6A, and the others were between 7E and 7F, so there was almost a half of a mile in between them. From what she could see, no one was looking in her direction, but that did little to calm her rattled nerves. Penelope let out a deep breath. ¡°What do you mean an echo?¡± ¡°The way the loop works is there is an anchor on one end.¡± Jeru drew a line with his fingers, holding them up like goal posts. ¡°When time resets, the person holding plot armor..." He arched his right finger over the line back to the left. ¡°Has their soul pulled back and everything new gets added on?" He rubbed his chin. ¡°Kind of like a scoop of ice cream.¡± He twirled his right finger around the pointed left one. ¡°But in order to make sure all of you come back, you bring along a little of what¡¯s around you. The farther the people next to you are from your starting place when you reset, the less of their fragmented parts are able to come back.¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! He shrugged. ¡°So instead of memories, most of them will get feelings and emotions.¡± He held up his hand. ¡°Anne tried to party with the eight people around her, and the best that she was able to bring back was fragments of memories, like a dream you¡¯ve forgotten. Because¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°We aren¡¯t adding to a new save every time. We¡¯re throwing what¡¯s been learned on this one back on the original.¡± Jeru poked her in the chest. ¡°So you can¡¯t build memories because all anyone gets is one shot.¡± ¡°Why¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m bending the laws of time and space, and you think I wouldn¡¯t have made an ARMY of loopers if I could have!?¡± Jeru shook his head. ¡°The math gets too tangled, and the spell breaks apart. Maybe my father could have managed more than one, but even if I had all of the New Elders, I don¡¯t know if it would be possible to make more than one Looper.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± It was the only word that could form in Penelope¡¯s mind. ¡°So that¡¯s why..." She tried to remember the name that Jeru had just leaked. ¡°Yeah. He wouldn¡¯t remember anything.¡± Jeru shook his head. ¡°He knew giving you the card would erase the two of you completely, but hey¡ª¡± The blue Elf shrugged. ¡°The two of you had almost four hundred years together. That¡¯s more than most soulbonded Elves.¡± ¡°Four hundred years that only you remember.¡± Penelope scowled. ¡°There are over fifteen hundred years that only I remember.¡± He shrugged. ¡°It all ended with the person I was attached to dying.¡± Jeru looked away. ¡°Trust me, this is not as easy as I thought it¡¯d be when I set it all up.¡± He closed his eyes as he turned back at her. ¡°The first few times I was able to make modifications, but I ran out of the power to do that over a millennium ago.¡± He opened his eyes. ¡°So now, this is what we¡¯ve got.¡± Penelope yawned and looked at her watch. It was almost two in the morning, but that just meant that her five hours of sleep would put her close to when everyone else was getting up. Still, they¡¯d been too tired to try 10J, even though they¡¯d planned to. ¡°How much harder is the tenth column?¡± She looked north, then back at her encyclopedia parasite. ¡°We have seventeen squares left, and if we can¡¯t beat them all before time runs out..." She sighed. ¡°I really don¡¯t want to have to reset.¡± Jeru snorted. ¡°You¡¯ve got thousands of resets left.¡± He held up his hand. ¡°But I get it.¡± The blue Elf thought for a moment. ¡°Honestly, you¡¯ve got a good chance. The last column is more straightforward, but both monsters have , which makes the fights last longer even with Freddie assassinating the Demons first.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Still, you should be able to keep to an hour to a section, but that puts you at this time tomorrow when you¡¯re done.¡± Penelope shook her head. ¡°I know I said we could just let the time run out and fight the boss over the whole floor.¡± ¡°Not a good idea.¡± Jeru interrupted. ¡°Every time that¡¯s been tried, people come down from outside and they aren¡¯t geared to fight a level two monster, let alone level ten bosses.¡± Penelope began to imagine the scene of Oakley¡¯s team in 2E, but magnified by ten. She shuddered as she pushed the image out of her mind. ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is, we have enough time to fight hard tomorrow, get a little rest, then start fighting the bosses that no one is prepared for?¡± ¡°Which means you need to get as much sleep as you can.¡± Jeru pointed at the soft, hide rug that Judah had brought over for her to sleep on. ¡°We both know that you¡¯re going to be able to stay up as long as you keep thinking about things.¡± Penelope closed her eyes. There was too much to think about. Too many things that still needed to be done. She was cutting it so close, which had her wondering if she shouldn¡¯t just reset things and try to fix some of the mistakes that had been made along the way while also trying to buy more time. ¡°Don¡¯t reset too much.¡± Jeru warned as he pulled her out of her thoughts. ¡°You¡¯ve already seen some of the distrustful glances that have been thrown your way. If you start getting too familiar with how things work, then you¡¯ll spend more time fighting the other people than you will against the Demons.¡± He clicked his tongue. ¡°And it¡¯s really hard to unlearn how to do things.¡± His eyes narrowed. ¡°Like your accuracy.¡± Penelope thought about arguing, but she knew that her need to do things the best she could would make it even more obvious that she was faking, which she knew would only draw more attention to herself. ¡°Fine.¡± She rolled one of the spare robes up and used it as a pillow. She hated how the option to redo the Dungeon felt more like a punishment than a way to make things better, but it was the world she was living in now. Penelope closed her eyes and tried not to think about just how different life on the surface was. She chuckled as a random thought ran through her head again. ¡°I guess I¡¯m not in Ar-kansas anymore.¡± Chapter 55 They managed to finish before midnight. Penelope glanced over at her stash to the west, then flinched away from Judah¡¯s attempt to slap her on the back. The group had insisted on celebrating there only being the boss room left. The young man had started a huge bonfire from the various monster parts that Patrick had decided weren¡¯t worth salvaging. Since they had finished faster than expected, everyone had also taken turns in the bath, leaving them all clean for the first time since they had been taken to this new world. Despite wanting nothing more than to go back to her corner and rest, the excited Fire Caster had moved all of her stuff while she¡¯d been bathing and now she was stuck in camp for the rest of the evening. ¡°He¡¯s just trying to be helpful.¡± The tone of Jeru¡¯s voice in her head let her know that the Elf was enjoying watching the young man fail at flirting. ¡°How do I convince him that I¡¯m not interested?¡± Penelope stood up and walked over to the meat cloth on the other side of the fire. Now that they¡¯d killed everything in the Dungeon, there were plenty of different types of meat to choose from. ¡°Without giving Freddie more reason to hate you?¡± Jeru chuckled. ¡°Reset?¡± Penelope sighed as she picked up some rabbit nuggets. The white meat was bland, but it was tender and less oily than the frog meat had been. Overall, the most like chicken of anything in the Dungeon and her favorite of all the choices. ¡°The problem solves itself tomorrow.¡± The blue Elf tried to be encouraging. ¡°Casters will have to get split up, so you won¡¯t be on a team with him again until guilds start forming once floor four opens up in two months. By that time, you¡¯ll have all the locals milling around and he¡¯ll have plenty of other things to distract him.¡± He appeared and gave her a reassuring smile. ¡°You can deal with the puppy love for one more night.¡± Penelope started to glare at her parasite but closed her eyes so no one else would mistake her gaze as meant for them. You were just telling me about how unlikely it is that I¡¯m going to be able to get through this boss fight without having to reset, and now you¡¯re saying that this will all be over tomorrow? Jeru shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re making an optimist out of me.¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Penelope sat down and opened up her menu. ¡°Looking at your stats before the fight?¡± Ula sat down next to the younger woman. ¡°Oh, hi, Ula.¡± Penelope closed her menu. ¡°It¡¯s okay, sweetie.¡± The grandmother smiled. ¡°Everyone deals with stress in different ways.¡± She nodded towards the black walls that surrounded the boss room. ¡°Any idea on what is waiting for us in there?¡± Penelope shook her head. ¡°My scans don¡¯t work when I can¡¯t see what¡¯s in there, and with it being a different type of barrier¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°Judah already tried looking inside and couldn¡¯t see anything.¡± ¡°That boy¡­¡± Ula shook her head. ¡°He means well; he¡¯s just¡­¡± She looked over at where Patrick was showing Dawson and Judah how to make a tent out of bones and furs. Marlow had already gone to sleep, and Frederica and Oakley were already inside their own tent. ¡°Lost and looking for something to hold on to.¡± She chuckled when Penelope blushed. ¡°I¡¯m not saying you should marry him, just¡­¡± She waffled her head. ¡°Trying to help you understand him.¡± Her brown eyes tried to lock onto Penelope¡¯s green ones. ¡°I¡¯m sure there are plenty of girls up top that¡¯ll be interested in a triumphant hero once we clear the floor.¡± Ula tilted her head. ¡°I¡¯ll talk with him about giving you some space, if that¡¯s what you want.¡± Penelope looked down at her feet and nodded. ¡°Then don¡¯t worry about it!¡± Ula smiled. ¡°I know you¡¯d rather be off in your room by yourself¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°Hector, my grandson, is like that. Always with his head in the clouds behind a door somewhere. But¡­¡± She laughed. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt to spend a little time around your family, and I guess that surviving this makes us all about as close as family as you can get.¡± The older woman held up her hand. ¡°I know people make you anxious, so you don¡¯t have to give a speech or talk, but you¡¯ve got power, sweetie. Real power. And that can help everyone feel better about the unknown that we¡¯re walking into tomorrow. So¡­¡± She slapped her legs as she stood up. ¡°Just stay close enough so that the younger ones can sleep better knowing that you¡¯re close. Because we need everyone as rested as they can be in the morning. Can you do that for me?¡± Penelope nodded. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before the older woman could walk away. ¡°How long have you known?¡± ¡°About you?¡± Ula turned around and gave her a warm smile. ¡°I suspected, but not until just now.¡± She nodded towards the couple¡¯s tent. ¡°Freddie said something about you never looking people in the eye, and that got me thinking. Hector uses the same eye trick, so I guess I got used to a lack of eye contact not registering as dishonesty. Seeing how you try to look at people without looking them in the eye confirmed it, though.¡± The Hispanic woman held up her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Frederica either. You¡¯re the only one here at the moment that is as young as she wishes she was. Once that barrier comes down, don¡¯t be surprised if she starts acting like you¡¯re her closest friend.¡± Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Ula snapped her fingers. ¡°Speaking of which. I wanted to ask you about staying in my group once we go down to the second floor. I know this has been rough on you, but we¡¯ll need to split people up so that the others can start leveling. I thought two to get a group started would be a good ratio.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it for now.¡± Ula waved her hand. ¡°It¡¯s not something that you have to decide until later, but I thought you might have an easier time on a team where you knew someone than going at it alone again.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Penelope blinked. ¡°Yeah, that would be helpful.¡± ¡°Great!¡± The older woman gave her a thumbs up. ¡°I¡¯m going to talk to the boys, but why don¡¯t you turn in? We¡¯ve got a big day ahead of us in the morning!¡± Penelope watched the older woman walk away, then turned and started walking north. ¡°Penny!¡± Judah waved his arms and headed her direction only to get cut off by Ula. Penelope nodded her thanks, but that didn¡¯t stop the discomfort that ran through her as she watched the young man¡¯s shoulders sag. ¡°He¡¯ll be fine.¡± Jeru floated in front of the other Caster. ¡°Are you going to use those new spells you got?¡± Penelope pulled the two crystals out of her pocket and looked at them through her menu.
Hail Storm (Ice) Requires Level 9 Mana Cost (10) Rain down Ice Magic pellets of hail in a target area. Decimating T0 Damage. Tornado Alley (Air) Requires Level 9 Mana Cost (6) Create 2 pillars of Air Magic that move forward. Decimating T0 Damage.
Penelope glanced back at the group. Judah had vanished into the tent that he¡¯d constructed while Ula was busy working with the other three men around a turtle shell where Patrick was brewing something with Infernal water and parts of the monsters. ¡°I didn¡¯t use them when they dropped because we already had a system and didn¡¯t want to take a break for me to learn how to use the new spells.¡± Penelope rolled the two crystals in her palms like a pair of dice. ¡°How helpful will having the different damage types be?¡± ¡°The monsters on this floor are really only weak to poison damage.¡± Jeru shrugged. ¡°Since you don¡¯t have an affinity for those elements, then you won¡¯t get as much damage out of them as an Air or Ice Caster would.¡± He tilted his head a little. ¡°But the control aspect of each spell could come in handy. Channel long enough and you¡¯ll create a sheet of ice on the floor. And will box things in a lot better than your .¡± Penelope checked the time. Eleven minutes after midnight meant that there was still almost an hour to go before she¡¯d be able to get her five hours of sleep, and then she¡¯d still have almost an hour to prepare before everyone else woke up. ¡°Okay.¡± She started walking farther away from the camp. ¡°How do I use this?¡± ¡°Just crush the crystal in your hand. The system will do the rest of the work and unlock the spell for you.¡± Penelope squeezed both crystals at the same time, but instead of breaking and turning into dust, the crystals began fusing with her gloved hand. ¡°What!¡± Penelope opened her hand, but the fusion didn¡¯t stop. A sharp pain stabbed her behind her eyes like she¡¯d eaten ice cream too fast, then it was gone and so were the crystals. ¡°That was¡­¡± Penelope wiped a tear out of her right eye. ¡°Weird.¡± ¡°It gets easier, and you get used to it after a while.¡± The blue Elf laughed. ¡°I¡¯m just glad they stopped trying to do this at the University. Kids were going mad because they¡¯d downloaded too many spells too fast.¡± He twirled his finger. ¡°The Veneficus worked overtime for over a decade before that got banned.¡± ¡°The Ven¡­¡± Penelope stopped trying to repeat the word. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°They police bad magic users.¡± Jeru chuckled. ¡°They aren¡¯t the only ones, since there¡¯s not many of them, but they can counter spells with their water abilities, which makes them the best suited to take out an out-of-control Caster.¡± ¡°Is that what you were?¡± ¡°Me?¡± The blue Elf laughed. ¡°Just because I have blue skin doesn¡¯t¡­¡± He waffled his head. ¡°Okay, so most Imber, that¡¯s what the Sea Elves prefer to be called, do have water-based magic, and there are more of them that are Elementalists than Mages, but I¡¯m a pure Mage.¡± He puffed out his chest. ¡°Jhy used to call me the little storm caller because I had an affinity for both mom¡¯s hydromancy and dad¡¯s fulgurmancy¡­¡± His black eyes held a faraway look as he touched his cheek. ¡°You had¡­¡± Penelope thought for a moment. ¡°Water and Lightning magic? Not time?¡± ¡°You got that right!¡± Jeru snapped back from the memories his mind had been following. ¡°Out of all of us that were left, I had the least experience with time magic, but Dad was a High Elf, which gave me the best chance of holding onto my sanity while going back in time.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Dumas would have been the best one of all of us, but by the time we were desperate enough to try it, both he and Dad had fallen.¡± They stood in silence for a while while Jeru thought about how many people had died in his timeline. After a moment, Penelope spoke. ¡°Do you think this will change things?¡± ¡°If we can win? Yes.¡± He ran his fingers through his black hair, then looked at the woman next to him. ¡°No pressure.¡± ¡°Ri-ight.¡± Penelope pulled out her wand. ¡°Then I guess I should start working on these spells.¡± Jeru vanished so he wouldn¡¯t distract her anymore. It was going to be a long night. Chapter 56 Jeru tapped on Penelope¡¯s face. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s time to get up.¡± Penelope had worked on her spells until almost three before her parasite had begged her to get some sleep. Four hours later, and the rest of the camp was already stirring. ¡°What¡ª?¡± Penelope sat up inside the makeshift tent and looked at her menu.
Dungeon Floor 1 - Day 4 - 7:16 am
Time Remaining: 00:00:37:36
Penelope flung the robe that she¡¯d used as a blanket off of her and bolted to her feet. She pulled on the stiff cloth helmet as she scrambled out of the fur that was draped over large monster bones. ¡°It lives!¡± Ula smiled at the younger woman and motioned at the small pile of meat near the fire. ¡°Patrick made sure to leave you some food.¡± Penelope looked around. Her ¡®tent¡¯ was the only structure that was still standing where there had been seven tents, two baths, and the weird cauldron just a few hours ago. ¡°Where¡ª?¡± The Hispanic grandmother motioned west. ¡°I had the boys start moving stuff out of the way. We don¡¯t know how much space we¡¯re going to need.¡± She glanced south at the portal to the surface, then looked back at Penelope. ¡°Dawson¡¯s afraid that people are going to steal their stuff, so he convinced Patrick and the others that we needed to move it to the side instead of the front.¡± Ula looked at the boss room. ¡°We decided that we¡¯re going to let the time run out so all of us can fight.¡± She turned to Penelope, who was chewing her breakfast as fast as she could. ¡°You don¡¯t have to eat that fast, sweetie. You¡¯ve got plenty of time.¡± Penelope swallowed what was in her mouth. ¡°We can¡¯t do that¨C-!¡± She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself. Her heart was thundering in her ears, and oversleeping was making things worse. When she opened her eyes back up, Penelope saw Ula staring at her with the same disapproving look that her parents had almost always worn. ¡°We already talked it over, but why do you think that?¡± Ula crossed her arms in front of her chest. Penelope swallowed the lump in her throat and focused on the other woman¡¯s lips. Her mind was in full flight mode, but she¡¯d learned not looking at the other person in this type of situation would end with the other person always dismissing her. ¡°Your group was the third one to come in here.¡± She took the opportunity to nod towards where Oakley was carrying a load of monster parts. ¡°Yes.¡± Penelope looked back at the older woman. ¡°What did people think happened to the rest of us?¡± Ula thought for a moment. ¡°That you¡¯d either died or were too busy fighting to get back out.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Penelope pointed at the entrance. ¡°As soon as that barrier comes down, how long do you think it¡¯s going to be before the level ones start coming down here to see what¡¯s going on?¡± She motioned towards the fire Caster. ¡°Judah almost died to level nine monsters, and we¡¯ve been fighting for three days. How well do you think they¡¯re going to fare?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have the whole floor to fight in.¡± Ula motioned at the lowest-level person in their group. ¡°Patrick has already volunteered to keep people back when they start coming in since he¡¯ll be too low-level to do much.¡± She hefted her warhammer. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ve got this.¡± ¡°But¡ª.¡± Penelope cut herself off. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°It¡¯s going to be fine.¡± Ula patted the younger woman on the shoulder. ¡°The boys will take down your tent while you finish eating.¡± She smiled. ¡°Try to take a breather before it starts, and when this is all over, you can take the rest of the day off while we get ready to start the second floor!¡± Penelope stared at the party leader as the older woman walked away. Jeru, how bad is it? She turned around and started pacing towards the entrance. The blue Elf appeared beside her. ¡°There have been times where they¡¯ve used this strategy, and there haven¡¯t been any casualties.¡± Penelope took a deep breath as she stopped and looked at him. How many? ¡°I don¡¯t know, a couple dozen?¡± Out of how many times? Her mind raced to do the math, but even her estimation was low. ¡°About three thousand.¡± Ice washed through her veins, forcing a shiver out of her. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± She swallowed. ¡°Not good odds, no.¡± Jeru cut her off. ¡°Also, you¡¯re using your outside voice.¡± He pointed behind her. Penelope turned around and saw that everyone had made their way back from the new drop spot and had gathered around her tent. They were less than fifty feet from her, which was close enough that they could hear her muttering to herself. ¡°Do you think they heard?¡± ¡°You say ¡®that¡¯?¡± Jeru nodded, then shrugged as they all continued to go about their business. ¡°They probably think you¡¯re either mad about being overruled or that you¡¯re being weird and doing math.¡± ¡°That¡¯s..!¡± Penelope sighed and let her shoulders sag as she stopped her outburst. ¡°Is there anything I could do to stop this?¡± ¡°At this point?¡± Jeru mimicked looking at a watch on his bare left wrist. ¡°By the time they finish loading up your tent and put it over with the rest of the stuff, it won¡¯t matter if you can convince them or not.¡± He motioned at the timer on her screen. ¡°There¡¯s no way for all of you to finish the fight before the monsters get loose.¡± But it¡¯s the same amount of monsters as if we had challenged them in the room? ¡°More or less?¡± He waffled his head. ¡°No one has been able to get the exact same setup twice, so there¡¯s no way to say for certain, but it is only ever six.¡± He swallowed. ¡°Just don¡¯t let them get out of the Dungeon. They get stronger once they''re free of the restrictions they have on them here and lots of people will die topside if one of these gets loose.¡± Great. I have to fight a battle I can¡¯t prepare for and make sure that none of them get out of the¡­ Her thoughts connected what Jeru wasn¡¯t saying. Oakley can¡¯t taunt them. She glared at the Elf. ¡°He¡­¡± Jeru grimaced. ¡°Can taunt one of them at a time.¡± Which means that we¡¯re going to be fighting a group of the strongest monsters we''ve ever faced, and we¡¯re going to have to fight them one-on-one?! Penelope closed her eyes. What happened to sharing information! ¡°Sorry¡­¡± Jeru started wringing his hands together. ¡°I just thought that you¡¯d have asked me to reset the run by now and we could talk about that part of the fight later.¡± Penelope rubbed her temples. You thought I would have given up by now? Jeru nodded, but the motion went unseen because Penelope still had her eyes closed. ¡°When Judah got hurt and then with the whole kicking the puppy thing¡ª¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Penelope opened her eyes to the Elf with a finger on her lips. You were expecting me to give up? Jeru sighed and backed up. ¡°You¡¯re kind, Pea. You don¡¯t want to see the others die and honestly, most people die the first time they try the tenth column because the bunnies¡­¡± He suppressed a shiver. ¡°They¡¯re just evil. So yes, I underestimated you again. I¡¯m sorry. I keep forgetting that you¡¯re¡­¡± He chuckled and shook his head. I¡¯m what? Insults that she¡¯d heard her entire life began playing through her mind. Stupid, slow, weird, retard, freak, and the deluge kept pouring. Jeru banished it with a word. ¡°Incredible.¡± ¡°THAT¡¯S!...¡± She caught her voice when her mind registered the unexpected response. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve done more in less than a week than most people have been able to do in a month.¡± He motioned around at the Dungeon. ¡°If you have to reset, then that adds four days that you have to live through again. Bryn holds the record for the fastest first floor clear, and even she needed two weeks to do it. Even if you do fail today, I doubt you will on your next attempt. You¡¯re blowing everyone out of the water, even the people that I tried helping from the start.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Her entire argument deflated as she started to realize the implications of what all he was saying. ¡°Look. You need to quit doubting yourself, and I¡¯ll try to remember that this is your first time. I need to be more proactive with what I can tell you and not just explain things after they happen.¡± He jabbed his thumb towards the other group. ¡°Now, why don¡¯t you go get in position so we can finish this thing?¡± Chapter 57 The men were chanting. ¡°THIRTY-ONE!¡± ¡°THIRTY!¡± Penelope gripped her wand and tried to regulate her breathing. She wasn''t ready for this fight. With how many times others had ended the fight with casualties, she wasn¡¯t mentally prepared to lose one of her party members, let alone one of the helpless people on the surface. ¡°Don¡¯t worry sweetie, it¡¯s probably just some oversized kitten.¡± Ula laughed as bumped shoulders with Penelope. ¡°NINETEEN!¡± Even Frederica joined in the chant, but Penelope couldn¡¯t bring herself to be swept up in the intoxicating positivity. For her, it felt like everyone was chanting for their deaths. ¡°SEVEN! SIX! FIVE!¡± Patrick started moving toward the front as they counted down the last few seconds. Penelope used the time to say something else. ¡°LIGHT TORRENT! LIGHT TORRENT!¡± ¡°ONE!!!¡± The void barrier came down and there was a bunny on the other side. ¡°HAIL STORM!!!¡± Penelope aimed in between the group and the monsters. The first Demon to move had the face and feet of a rabbit, black, leathery wings, the claws, teeth, and tail of a cat, and stood upright like the Shadow Demons. It was nude, save for a shining purple pendant in the shape of a sword on its neck. The Cabbit Demon led the charge against the Adventurers with an opening roar that would have made any lion jealous. The rest of the group was in shock as they took in the amalgamation of the Demons, so much that Oakley forgot to taunt as the monsters charged. Penelope spread wider, which chomped away her mana in chunks, but she had to keep the Demons away until everyone was able to regroup. Each of the bosses were a mashup of the pair of monsters that were in each column. There was one for the first, fourth, sixth, eighth, ninth, and tenth columns. From the first column was the Creeper Soldier with the face of an ant and six legs on its upper half, with a slug portion for a lower half that was almost like a fat tail. It was crawling on the ceiling, which allowed it to avoid the raining ice. The monster from the fourth column was the Carriopede Demon. It had the upper half of a crow and a hundred tiny legs. A pair of spindly arms topped the insect legs, with a pair of bird legs in the middle of the long, feathered lower half. Its powerful wings took it to the east as it flew to get around the ice. The Dragon Turtle representing the sixth column was the first one to be wearing clothes. Even though her menu displayed the name, the Demon looked like it was more of a giant turtle-man than a dragon. The spiked shell on its back and loincloth that was more ripped hide than clothes took away from the dragon type almost as much as the lack of wings. There was a shining white stone on its chest that covered it in a white aura as it slid on its belly through the ice like a penguin. From the eighth column, the Lupent Demon was the simplest combination. The head of a wolf, hairy arms with claws, and the lower body of a snake. It followed the Cabbit Demon to the west, focusing on staying out of the cold spot between the two groups. Last was the Scorb Demon, the combination from the ninth column. The boar head and hooves of the upright monster were the only things that it borrowed from the porcine monster. Instead of claws or hands, there were pincers at the ends of its thick arms. Its entire body was covered in chitin, and the pointed barb at the end of its very long tail left no doubt that it had taken all of the most dangerous parts of both monsters. It charged through the ice and shook the whole area when it belly flopped after its hooves slipped on the slick surface. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°OAKLEY! ULA!¡± Penelope swallowed the lump in her throat as she split her in half and directed each one at the sides. The monsters were getting closer, and no one had moved yet. ¡°THEY¡¯VE GOT ALL THE SKILLS OF THEIR COLUMN!¡± Penelope started backing up. The Dragon Turtle barreled into Oakley, tossing him out of the way like it had swatted a bug. The Lupent Demon locked its eyes on Frederica and let out a hiss as it picked up speed while slithering towards her. Dawson recovered first and... He ran. Penelope thought about stopping him, but she was busy splitting her focus in three directions, and she had no doubt that the Cabbit Demon was going to be impossible to hit with double evasion. The party leader was the next one to recover. ¡°GET BEHIND ME!!!¡± The grandmother swung her warhammer, slapping the giant reptile across the face and halting its charge. The Demon¡¯s red eyes focused on her as it rubbed its strong jaw. WEAK There was a scream from behind them, alerting them that the rest of the people from the surface had come to check out what was going on. ¡°FALL BACK!¡± Marlow grabbed Judah¡¯s arm and pulled the younger man with him as he fired his crossbow. The Healer didn¡¯t have a lot of combat utility, but the hand crossbows provided stat boosts and a little extra damage when they needed it. Like now. ¡°HELP!¡± Frederica shrieked as she ran from the Lupent Demon. The blonde was in her late forties, but her speed was already high enough to make her faster than any athlete back on Earth. ¡°LOOK AT ME!!!¡± Oakley roared as he got to his feet. None of the Demons changed course. The Tank gripped his shield with both hands as the Scorb Demon slashed across the metal barrier with both pincers, then stabbed at the man¡¯s neck with its tail. ¡°TAUNTING DOESN¡¯T WORK!¡± Penelope kept backing up. The Cabbit had gotten past all of them, but she had to worry about the Carriopede Demon that was swooping down at her. The lower half of the monster lashed out, with all of the tiny insect legs reaching out for her. She rolled backwards, using the technique she¡¯d mastered to kill Shadow Assassins, except this time, she didn¡¯t use . ¡°TORNADO ALLEY!¡± Penelope directed both columns of air under the avian monstrosity, slamming it into the ceiling. ¡°FIRE TWISTER!!!¡± Judah appeared by her side, threading his own spell inside hers. The swirling air caught fire, adding bulk to the spell and giving her full control of their pillar of burning death. The Demon shrieked as it clawed at the stone ceiling, trying to drag its body out of the fire that was melting its feathers. "No, you don¡¯t!¡± Penelope pulled a mana potion out of her right pocket and downed the minty contents. With her mana topped off, she pointed her left hand at the monster. ¡°TORNADO ALLEY!!!¡± Two more columns of air rose out of the ground and caught fire. Sweat was absorbed by the mask she wore as she focused on combining all four columns into one giant one. She grit her teeth as she focused on merging them and not canceling them out. ¡°IT¡¯S WORKING!!!¡± Judah cheered and slapped her on the back. Penelope blinked as she almost lost focus but managed to hold the spells. ¡°Keep shooting at it!¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± The young man coughed, then pointed his staff at the pinned Demon. ¡°FIRE GEYSER!!!¡± A torrent of lava shot out of the stone. It was one of the spells that Judah was forbidden from using because the cast off would have burned anyone else. They¡¯d been fortunate when he¡¯d first tried it that Ula had been the unfortunate victim, but her metal armor had resisted it enough that Marlow had been able to quickly heal the burn. Within the confines of the swirling column of fire, there wasn¡¯t as much of a need to worry about castoff. It was Judah¡¯s most powerful spell, and they needed to kill the monster as fast as they could, so Penelope didn¡¯t admonish the young man. ¡°KEEP IT UP!!!¡± She gritted her teeth as she moved the column closer to where they were standing to keep the monster pinned. DING! Experience +1 Penelope blinked. It felt like weeks since she¡¯d seen the pop-up. ¡°The monsters are from the next Tier. You¡¯re getting experience again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s dead!¡± Penelope looked over at her companion. ¡°Stop your spell!¡± Judah obeyed, but confusion covered his face. ¡°Why did we only get one experience?¡± The roar of the flames had been covering the chaos behind them. Now they both could hear the screams of the people that had come into the Dungeon. Patrick was doing his best to hold off the Cabbit, but there were dozens of people, but there were too many on the ground, and very few of them had a green glow that let them know that Marlow was attempting to reverse the damage. ¡°We need to--!¡± Penelope hit the stone floor head first. Judah was lying on top of her, but there was more weight than just his. Hot blood started falling on her face as the young man struggled to speak. He let out a cough. A scraping noise alerted her to what had them. The Creeper Soldier had its mandibles in the back of the other human¡¯s neck. ¡°So..r¡­¡± It was all he could squeeze out before the light left his eyes. Chapter 58 Penelope grabbed the side of the monster¡¯s head with both hands. ¡°LIGHT BEAM!!!¡± The Creeper Soldier shrieked, thrashing as it tried to release the dead man in its mandibles, but the other human was holding on too tight. The spell tore away at the side of the Demon¡¯s head from either side, eating away at the protective shell each second she held on. The monster switched tactics from pulling away and tried to dislodge her. It reared back high enough that the five-foot-four-inch woman could plant her feet on the stone floor. She wasn¡¯t strong enough to hold back the monster as it fell back down, slamming her against the stone and driving the air out of her lungs. Her vision swam and the spell started to die, but Penelope closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. This thing had killed Judah, and she wasn¡¯t going to let it off that easy. The dead man weighed against her as the monster shook her from side to side as it reared up a second time. ¡°MOVE!¡± Jeru boomed, pushing on her the best he could. Penelope didn¡¯t want to let go, but she canceled the spell and rolled out of the way just before the Demon slammed Judah¡¯s body against the stone with a crunch. ¡°You weren¡¯t going to stay conscious if you took another one of those!¡± Jeru already knew what she was about to yell at him over. He held his hands up. ¡°Do you want to¡­¡± Penelope ignored him as she dug into her pocket and pulled out another mana potion. Green acid bubbled in the mouth of the monster. ¡°LIGHT TORRENT!¡± Penelope twisted her finger up, slamming all the under the Demon¡¯s mouth, forcing it to release the acid at the ceiling. The green poison hissed as it rained down on the burnt remains of the Carriopede Demon and the dead human. ¡°Light Torrent! Light Torrent!¡± Penelope downed the potion, then threw the empty vial at the monster that was struggling to stand up. ¡°LIGHT BLAST!¡± The flash of Light magic tore over the dying Demon. DING! Experience +1 Penelope closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Tears leaked out of her eyes anyway. She opened them and did her best to blot the water out of her eyes, then walked over and picked up her fallen wand. She kicked the Demon¡¯s corpse before turning on Jeru. ¡°WHY DIDN¡¯T YOU WARN ME THAT THING WAS COMING!!!!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know!¡± The blue Elf held up his hands. ¡°I was trying to keep an eye on everything else, and I lost track of it!¡± He glanced over at the man who¡¯d sacrificed himself to protect her. ¡°Do you want me to reset it?¡± Penelope winced as a dying scream grated across her ears. She closed her eyes for a moment and sighed. ¡°You can reset back to the beginning even if I make a new anchor here?¡± His eyes widened. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Jeru tilted his head. ¡°That¡¯s not what I thought you¡¯d say.¡± ¡°I want to get an idea of what I¡¯m up against¨C¡± Another dying scream faded into a gurgle, cutting off the rest of what she was going to say. Penelope looked down at the other Caster. ¡°I really need to treat him better next time.¡± ¡°PENNY!!! HELP ME!!!¡± Penelope turned to where the older woman had screamed. The blonde was on the ground with the Lupent Demon¡¯s snake lower half wrapped around her legs. One of Frederica¡¯s swords was sticking out of the monster¡¯s side, and the other one was nowhere to be seen. The monster¡¯s jaw was being held back by the weakening woman¡¯s stiff right arm, while it slashed at her with whichever claw could get past the desperate defense her other arm was mounting. ¡°LIGHT TORRENT!!!¡± Penelope directed the balls of light into the creature¡¯s side as she closed the distance. DING! Experience +1 This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. The Demon was still tightening around the other woman, which clued Penelope that one of the other monsters had fallen, but she didn¡¯t have time to look around to see who had finished their fight. ¡°Ula got the Dragon Turtle.¡± Jeru announced. ¡°But Oakley isn¡¯t looking good, and the Scorb Demon has gotten to the surface.¡± ¡°Not now.¡± Penelope tried to focus on how she was going to help Frederica as she closed the space between them. The demon tightened its grip around the captured woman. It rolled on the ground, putting the injured woman more in between it and the attacker like a living shield. The yellow eyes of the predator smiled at her as it started to force its maw closer to the other woman¡¯s face. It couldn¡¯t get away from Penelope, but it knew that it could keep the dying woman between them long enough to finish her off. Penelope jammed her wand into her belt and sped up, aiming instead for the handle of the sword. ¡°Wh,,, ¡­ you d¡­g?!¡± Frederica gasped as she strained. Penelope wrapped both hands around the sword and pushed. ¡°LIGHT BEAM!!!¡± The spell shot down the blade of the sword, dumping Light Magic into the Demon. The Lupent Demon screamed as it thrashed, flinging Frederica away, then tearing the hole in its side wider as it twisted and bucked, the gash opening up over half of its side by the time it was able to pull itself off the blade. Steam leaked out of the gaping wound as Penelope backed up to where the older woman was still trying to get out a healing potion. Penelope pulled one out of her left pocket and twisted off the lid, offering it to the wounded woman. ¡°Thanks.¡± Frederica nodded as she tried to take the vial, but her fingers were shaking too hard for her to hold on to it. ¡°Here.¡± Penelope eyed the wounded monster that was drinking a potion of its own. ¡°Let me help.¡± She tipped the vial to the older woman¡¯s lips, but only a few sips made it into the other woman¡¯s mouth before she started coughing. Penelope pulled the vial back to save as much of the precious liquid as they could. Frederica blinked back tears as the shaking in her hands subsided. After taking a few gulps of air, she held out her hand. ¡°I think I can do it now.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Penelope handed over the potion, then put down the sword so she could get out her wand. ¡°I think the two of us will be able to finish this one off... WAIT! LIGHT TORRENT!¡± The Lupent Demon wasn¡¯t interested in a two-on-one fight against a pair of level tens. It shot past them, slithering towards the entrance where there were easier prey to kill. The wound on its side was scabbed over, but it slithered with a limp, and its left arm was staying clutched tight to its side. ¡°What¡¯s it doing!¡± Frederica tried to run but stumbled. Penelope canceled the spell so she could grab the other woman¡¯s arm. She looked over at Jeru, who shook his head as a response. ¡°It¡¯s going on a killing spree. We¡¯re the ones holding the invasion back at the moment, and the fewer of us there are, the easier time they¡¯ll have breaking through.¡± She clenched her jaw. ¡°It¡¯s trying to kill as many of us as it can before we can get stronger.¡± Frederica sat down. ¡°What are you waiting for? Take¡­¡± Her gaze landed on the place where Judah was lying as she dug in her pocket for one of her own potions. ¡°Wha-what happened?¡± Penelope blinked to hold back the tears. ¡°We got ambushed, and he took the hit to protect me.¡± ¡°He¡­¡± Frederica opened the vial and downed it. ¡°He was useful after all.¡± Rage welled up inside Penelope, but she held it back with clenched fists. Now wasn¡¯t the time to fight against each other. ¡°He saved me and died a hero.¡± She looked the other woman over. ¡°Are you good?¡± Frederica used her sword to brace herself as she stood up and dusted herself off. ¡°I think I can go.¡± She looked around. ¡°OAKIE!!!¡± The blonde woman took off towards where the Tank was lying. She pulled out another potion, drank it, then removed the prone man¡¯s helmet and poured the red liquid down the man¡¯s throat with her mouth. Penelope grimaced as she walked over. Is he? ¡°He¡¯ll live.¡± Jeru floated around to face Penelope. ¡°But his injuries are pretty bad. Even with the potions, he¡¯s out of the fight from blood loss alone.¡± Penelope looked around at the lifeless floor. The three of them were the only three living things left in the Dungeon. The monsters had chased everyone back up to the surface, and that¡¯s where the rest of their party was. Penelope started to head for the entrance, but she was going to need more help than just Ula. ¡°Frederica, is he going to be okay?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Tears were streaming down the older woman¡¯s face as she struggled to get the lid off of the third healing potion. ¡°He¡¯s not waking up!¡± ¡°Hey, hey, hey.¡± Penelope kneeled down next to the shivering woman and put her hand on the blonde¡¯s arm. She felt for a pulse and was rewarded with the information that Jeru had given her. It was there. Weak but steady, just like his breathing. ¡°He¡¯s going to live.¡± Penelope touched the other woman¡¯s cheek and forced herself to look into the woman¡¯s blue eyes. Penelope fought to keep her breathing under control as every cell in her body went into flight mode, but she knew that as difficult as it was for her, the other woman needed the comfort it and the direct eye contact and physical touch would bring. ¡°But the only way that he¡¯s going to stay alive is if we go up there and kill those last three¡ª¡± DING! Experience +1 ¡°¡­Two monsters.¡± Penelope motioned at the floor. ¡°There is no one else down here. No monsters, no people. He¡¯ll wake up once he heals more, but there won¡¯t be anything for him to wake up to if we let those monsters kill everyone.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t¡­¡± Frederica shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t just leave him here.¡± Penelope sighed as she stood up. ¡°Then stay with him, because we can¡¯t take him up there.¡± She paused. ¡°But we have a much better chance of beating those last two monsters with your help.¡± The older woman touched the sleeping man¡¯s cheek, then kissed him. ¡°I¡¯m coming back for you.¡± She whispered in his ear. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare die on me.¡± Frederica stood up and twirled her sword around in front of her. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± She looked over at Penelope. ¡°Let¡¯s finish this.¡± Chapter 59 The campus was in chaos. The Cabbit and Lupent Demon were having a blast as they tore through the helpless humans fleeing the square. The Scorb Demon lay in the north-east alley where Ula must have killed it, though Patrick was the only person that Penelope recognized when she reached the surface with her companion. The Cabbit was using him as a kickball. ¡°Can you finish the Lupent?¡± Penelope pointed her wand at the other Demon but stopped before she cast. Double evasion meant that only AoE spells were going to work, and there were too many people around to use one of those. ¡°The what?¡± Frederica yelled to be heard over the screams. ¡°You never told them what the monsters were.¡± Jeru cut off Penelope¡¯s sharp response. ¡°The thing we were fighting.¡± Penelope pointed her wand at the Demon. The blonde gripped her sword with both hands. ¡°Gladly.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got the rabbit.¡± Penelope clasped the older woman¡¯s left arm. ¡°Good luck.¡± ¡°Luck is for those without talent!¡± Frederica pulled away and flashed the other woman a smirk. ¡°I¡¯ve got this!¡± Penelope shook her head and suppressed a chuckle as her companion ran to intercept the wounded Demon from reaching its next victim. Her eyes scanned the square, taking in the people, the wounded, and the dead. ¡°Looks like the regular hundred-forty-one gathered to hold the line.¡± Jeru commented. ¡°Not the worst carnage I¡¯ve seen.¡± You can tell me the stats later. Penelope ran at her target. ¡°HEY! LIGHT TORRENT!¡± Even though the Light Balls danced around the monster like it was a fancy light show, the spell managed to keep the Cabbit Demon from kicking Patrick anymore. Penelope made it to the older man¡¯s side and pulled out a potion as the Demon unfurled its wings and flew on top of the roof of the three-story administrative building to the south. Penelope poured the potion over the wounds. The Demon had cut the straps holding the metal plates in place, leaving the underleveled Tank completely exposed to the claws and fangs. It could have killed the unconscious man at any time but had toyed with him, like a cat with a mouse. Do I have to¡­? She flinched as she thought about how Frederica had given Oakley multiple potions. ¡°He¡¯ll live with that, but he¡¯s not going to be able to help.¡± Jeru tapped her right shoulder. ¡°Heads up!¡± Penelope looked up at the Demon that was perched like a gargoyle on top of the building, but it hadn¡¯t moved. The announcement was for an incoming ally. ¡°Penny!¡± Marlow huffed as he ran over to her. ¡°Thank God you¡¯re here!¡± A green glow covered the prone man. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to help where I can, but these things are just..." The balding man looked around. ¡°Where is everyone else?¡± Frederica and the Lupent Demon had vanished down one of the alleys, leaving the two of them alone in the square with the Cabbit Demon and an unconscious Tank. ¡°Oakley got knocked out and Judah¡­¡± Penelope swallowed and fought back tears that she didn¡¯t understand. She hadn¡¯t been close to the young man; in fact, she¡¯d thought he was annoying, yet his death was having a much greater impact on her than she expected. She¡¯d seen him die dozens of times, yet this time had been different, and it was something that was going to stick with her. ¡°He didn¡¯t make it.¡± She focused on the Demon staring down at them so she wouldn¡¯t have to see the reaction that the Healer had to hearing that they lost a team member. ¡°What about Ula and Dawson?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The older man admitted. ¡°Daw was gone before I got up here, and I haven¡¯t seen Ula since she went down the alley with the scorpion pig.¡± This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Scorb Demon.¡± Penelope stood up. ¡°What?¡± She pointed her wand down the north-east alley. ¡°Scorb Demon.¡± Penelope motioned to the west. ¡°Lupent Demon.¡± Penelope turned her gaze to the last monster. ¡°And a Cabbit Demon.¡± ¡°You know what we are.¡± The Demon hopped off of the roof and landed in front of them. Penelope had her wand in front of her, but the Demon was staying more than forty feet away from her, which was ten more feet than could reach. ¡°Yeah, I have an appraisal skill.¡± Marlow pulled the unconscious man behind them, then stood next to Penelope. ¡°It¡¯s two on one, you Wabbit Demon!¡± The rabbit face sneered, showing bloody teeth. ¡°A medic and a mage, please. The only reason I¡¯m not using you as a ball is because you wouldn¡¯t survive the first kick.¡± Penelope stepped in front of Marlow before he could spout something back. ¡°Take Patrick and get him into the Dungeon. Try to take care of the others the best you can.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± Marlow touched her shoulder, sending a cringe down her spine. ¡°You can¡¯t take that thing on all by yourself!¡± ¡°Frederica will finish the Lupent off soon.¡± She took a step forward to pull away from the man¡¯s attempt at a supportive gesture. ¡°I can hold my own until then.¡± ¡°Hold your own!¡± The monster laughed like it was gargling rocks. ¡°A mage is no match for me!¡± ¡°GO!¡± Penelope hissed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me!¡± The Cabbit shook its head but only folded its arms across its chest and watched as Marlow picked up Patrick and carried the other older man back into the Dungeon. Once they were gone, it unfurled its wings and spread its claws. ¡°That was very foolish. But once you¡¯re dead, I¡¯ll finish-¡± Penelope didn¡¯t wait for the monologue to end; she started running at the monster. Her mana was close enough to topped off and there was no reason to give her opponent any more time to rest. ¡°Hail Storm!¡± Penelope focused the rain of ice behind the Demon. It had a little longer range than and , which allowed her to cut off the monster¡¯s escape route unless it chose to fly through the freezing area. ¡°You have to call out your attacks like some child!¡± The Cabbit moved to her left. ¡°How are you going to hurt me if you have to announce everything you do?¡± Penelope sidestepped and focused on the area it was moving towards. ¡°Hail Storm!¡± ¡°Not one to chat? Pity. You¡¯re the only one of these toys that I thought I could reason with.¡± Penelope did a baseball slide as the Demon surged forward, closing the distance between them faster than she could react. The tips of its claws scraped her forehead as it flew over the woman, leaving thin trails of blood dripping down her face. Penelope rolled over and wiped her face with the back of her sleeve. The wounds stung, leaving her skin with a tingling sensation. The Cabbit Demon licked her blood off its hand, one claw at a time. ¡°You taste delicious!¡± Its red eyes sparkled with anticipation. ¡°I¡¯m going to savor this!¡± ¡°Your plan is to play with me until the Elves show up?¡± Penelope stalked closer to her opponent. She let out a nervous laugh that she hoped sounded more confident than she felt. ¡°These grounds are shielded.¡± The monster scoffed. ¡°Those arrogant heathens will see the ground while their heads roll before they notice us!¡± Penelope looked at her parasite for confirmation. The look on her face told her more than words. ¡°They sit and deliberate-¡± ¡°NOT NOW!¡± Penelope waved her arm at him. ¡°LIGHT BLAST!¡± The Cabbit Demon floated backwards, out of the reach of her spell. ¡°You¡­¡± Its eyes narrowed. ¡°You have a Guardian, no¡­¡± The cat claw snapped, then pointed at her. ¡°You¡¯re possessed!¡± ¡°HAIL STORM! HAIL STORM!!!¡± Penelope created new pockets of ice rain. The drain on her mana of keeping so many spells active was putting pressure on her behind her eyes and tightening its grip on her lungs. ¡°You can¡¯t keep this up!¡± The monster laughed as it twisted west. Penelope rotated left to follow the Demon. She pulled another mana potion out of her pocket and downed the minty liquid. ¡°HAIL STORM! HAIL STORM! HAIL STORM! HAIL STORM! HAIL STORM!¡± A ring of hail enclosed around them. Penelope panted as she focused on the trapped Demon that sprang into the air. ¡°What did you gain?¡± The Cabbit Demon taunted. ¡°You¡¯re exhausted, and now you¡¯re trapped in here with me.¡± It let out an evil belly laugh. ¡°I wonder how long it¡¯ll keep raining once you''re dead.¡± It snapped its claws, a grin splitting the rabbit face, revealing too many teeth that didn¡¯t match the face. ¡°Let¡¯s find out.¡± Chapter 60 Fire shot out of the Demon¡¯s paws. Penelope found herself wishing that she¡¯d held on to one of the shields that she¡¯d used in earlier runs. ¡°LIGHT-¡± Penelope cut the spell short and dove to the side. The heat from the flames kissed her right arm as she rolled away from the danger. ¡°It¡¯s like a slime in a cup!¡± The Cabbit Demon laughed. ¡°You can¡¯t reach me from here, and you have nowhere to run!¡± It threw another fireball at her, this time missing by a few feet. ¡°You didn¡¯t say anything about it having magic!¡± Penelope gritted her teeth as she tried to think of a solution. ¡°It¡¯s a Demon! What did you think it would have? Ice cream?¡± A nervous squeak accentuated the e in cream. Jeru coughed to fix his voice. ¡°Look, the main thing is, this thing doesn¡¯t have a very high Magic stat, so you can do more damage to it than you¡¯ll take.¡± ¡°And which one of us can take a bigger beating?!¡± Penelope dodged another lazy fireball. ¡°You just have to drop it! Once it¡¯s out of the air, you can corner it and finish it off.¡± Penelope closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh. Penelope set her jaw, then twirled her wand in the air above her as she opened her eyes to glare at the monster in the air above her. All of the clouds raining down ice moved towards her. ¡°Really! You plan to freeze me!¡± The Demon cackled. Flames erupted over its body, yet none of its fur burned. ¡°Ice has no power over me!¡± It threw another fireball at the human woman. ¡°FINE!¡± Penelope clenched her wand so tight that the wood bit into her glove. ¡°TORNADO ALLEY!¡± The hail began to blow up instead of down. Frosty strands of hair slapped her face as she began directing the storm like a conductor. The monster tried to back away from the storm, but Penelope wasn¡¯t going to let it get free. ¡°TORNADO ALLEY!!!¡± She dropped another pair of twisters behind it, making it harder for the Demon to stay in the air. The black-furred abomination dropped to the ground and sprinted to the north side of the quad. It posed in front of the opening to the Dungeon with its paws on its hips. ¡°And¡­ you fail!¡± Penelope banished the ice and wind, letting the weather calm. A pair of shivers ran through her as she cupped her hands and blew into them to try to take the chill off. The Cabbit Demon clicked its tongue. ¡°Now you¡¯re going to die tired.¡± It flashed a Cheshire grin. ¡°Delicious!¡± DING! Experience +1 It was Penelope¡¯s turn to smile. ¡°Looks like I¡¯m not the one that¡¯s going to be dying.¡± She took a few deep breaths and stood up straight. ¡°When the others get here, it¡¯s over!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the last Mage!¡± It laughed. ¡°You think I¡¯m scared of some hag with a stick?¡± It floated into the air as if to accentuate its point. Penelope looked around, but there was no one else alive where they¡¯d been summoned. She could see a few people watching from the windows in the building to her left. Great, I¡¯ve got an audience, AND there was a way to get into the buildings. ¡°The admin building is where the best stuff is, but it¡¯s also the one that¡¯s locked up the tightest.¡± The blue Elf shrugged. ¡°Besides, you needed to be in the Dungeon, not hiding in a dorm room.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Penelope¡¯s eyes widened, and if she hadn¡¯t been facing a killer bunny, she would have turned to her parasite. We¡¯re talking about this later! She rolled to her left to dodge a fireball. Embers rained down on her, forcing her to cover her eyes with her left sleeve as she backed away from the new danger. ¡°That¡¯s new.¡± Jeru sounded impressed. ¡°You¡¯re learning all kinds of new stuff about this thing!¡± ¡°Shut up if you¡¯re not going to be helpful!¡± Penelope aimed diagonally away from her. ¡°Tornado Alley!¡± The twin columns of air twisted out of the ground in front of her and snuffed out the embers, providing her with a reprieve. ¡°LIGHT TORRENT!!!¡± She twirled her wand, sending the balls of light on a fool''s errand. The Cabbit Demon let out a deep, happy laugh as it dodged the projectiles like an adult playing tag with a group of preschoolers. Penelope looked around. Her methods for grounding the Demon weren¡¯t working, and since it could move faster in the air than she could, there was no way for her to get close enough to use her AoE spells to kill it. Sweat beaded under the hard fabric that made up her helmet. The effort of keeping the spells active while moving them took more focus the longer she maintained the spell. Even though it wasn¡¯t costing her mana like and did to maintain, it still took a mental toll. The Cabbit Demon blinked and appeared in front of her. ¡°LI-!¡± Claws dug into her chest, poking small holes through the fabric as the Demon punched her, sending her tumbling across the quad. She stopped rolling when she ran into the corpse. Penelope coughed and pointed her hand at the Demon, except she wasn¡¯t holding her wand anymore. The Demon pinched it between two clawed fingers. ¡°Looking for this?¡± It slipped the wand into the waistband of its loincloth. ¡°You have to say your spells to cast them. I wonder how you¡¯ll do without a tongue.¡± ¡°LIGHT BLAST!¡± Penelope released the spell, which fell very short of where the Demon was strutting. The gravely laugh grated her ears. It crouched, the hunger to cause pain etched into the smile that kept widening. It flexed its claws as its eyes bored into the panicking woman. Pain erupted from its lips as it twisted to the right. Frederica took a wingbone to the face as she tried to get clear. The blonde woman slipped on the ice where Penelope had been standing and fell on her rear, dropping her sword before she hit the ground. Penelope was on her feet and closed the distance as the Cabbit Demon kicked the sword away from the fallen woman. ¡°That HURT!¡± ¡°LIGHT BLAST!¡± Penelope had to stay far enough back so that her spell didn¡¯t wash over the other woman. The Demon leapt into the air, and crashed to the spot where Frederica had been sitting. The blonde rolled to her left, putting more distance between herself and her weapon. The Demon, on the other hand, face planted since its left wing had a long tear in the side. It had sensed Frederica¡¯s attack and moved fast enough to keep the blade out of its back, but not fast enough for it to not get hit. Penelope ran over to her ally and helped the other woman stand. Penelope pulled Frederica behind her. ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°YOU SIRENS!!!¡± The Cabbit Demon roared as it stood up. ¡°I¡¯M GOING TO TEAR THE SKIN OFF YOUR FLESH AND MAKE YOU WATCH AS I EAT YOUR-¡± ¡°LIGHT BLAST!¡± Penelope cut off the rant as she blasted the Demon in the face. ¡°Keep him busy!¡± Frederica pushed off of the other woman and ran west toward her weapon. The blur of fur pounced at her, but Penelope was already casting her spell again, this time with both hands. ¡°LIGHT BLAST!!! LIGHT BLAST!!! The ball of anger and hunger barreled into her. Teeth bit into her shoulder as claws dug into her sides. Her breath was driven out of her as her back slammed onto the concrete. ¡°LIGHT BURST!¡± Light magic erupted out of her as Penelope slammed the side of her head into the monster¡¯s mouth. She grabbed for the wings and pulled, tearing the webbing on the left one more. The Cabbit Demon let out a howl, grabbed her shoulders, and slammed her into the concrete. ¡°JUST DI-!¡± A sharp pain cut into Penelope''s gut as the weight on top of her increased. Her lungs burned as she fought to hold the Demon close. The sharpness dulled as the pressure diminished. The Demon roared in her ear, leaving a ringing as it pulled away, but Penelope wouldn¡¯t let it go. She tightened her grip and pulled it down. The sharp pain blossomed in her gut again, then again, then again. The Demon began to spasm as it tried to get free, but its movements were weakening every second. Blood dripped onto her face, then the familiar noise announced that the fight was over. DING! Experience +1 A bright light washed over her. The Demon¡¯s forehead hit her in the face, then rolled off to the side. Penelope opened her eyes and blinked away the blood as she looked up at the triumphant woman standing over her. Jeru grimaced. ¡°You¡¯re not going to like this.¡± Chapter 61 That was the save point. Frederica had to feed Penelope a healing potion before the two of them could roll the Demon off of her. Once she was free, Penelope dusted herself off, then sat down next to the corpse. She nodded towards the Dungeon. ¡°We need to tell Patrick that¡­¡± ¡°OAKEY!!!¡± Frederica took off into the Dungeon. ¡°... it¡¯s okay to come up.¡± Penelope shook her head. What about this am I not going to like? ¡°Well¡­¡± Jeru grimaced. ¡°The save can be made at the exact moment that the last boss monster dies.¡± He looked at the headless Demon. ¡°If you want to keep going with this run, every time you die now, you¡¯ll revert back to right before the Demon head hits you in the face.¡± Penelope groaned. ¡°Before you ask me to reset things back to the beginning, I have to tell you that if you go back, it destroys this save.¡± The blue Elf looked around. ¡°Also, until you¡¯re strong enough to force the monsters to fight in their square and win..." He motioned at the carnage that lay around them. ¡°This will happen every time.¡± ¡°So what you¡¯re saying..." Penelope stood up and looked around. ¡°Is that until I learn how to use raw magic, there¡¯s no way to save everyone?¡± ¡°That¡¯ll help, but no.¡± Jeru walked over to the Demon and touched the necklace that was lying on the ground. ¡°Huh, that¡¯s an interesting item.¡± He turned back to Penelope. ¡°What I¡¯m saying is, you could revert to the beginning and try again, or you could keep going, and once you are strong enough that the Authority won¡¯t detain you, go into town and learn job skills. The experience you get from there will stay with you, then you can go back to the first floor and save everyone.¡± The image of Judah dying in her arms flashed in Penelope¡¯s mind. ¡°I can reset if you want, but this is a question of power and you don¡¯t have it.¡± He held up his hands. ¡°Right now.¡± Penelope took a deep breath. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll stay, but I promise I¡¯ll find a way to get stronger so I can go back and save him.¡± The image of another man flashed across her face, one that made her touch her lips as she remembered her first death. ¡°What about-?¡± ¡°Nope, not going to tell you where he is.¡± Jeru turned away, ¡°But you don¡¯t have to worry about coming across him this run.¡± ¡°He died?¡± Pain gripped her heart. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Jeru shrugged and turned back around. ¡°You need to grab that necklace before someone else does.¡± Penelope scooted back over to the body and picked up the necklace.
Drowned Blade Defense +1 Recovery +1 Water Damage +11% Item Passive: Water Breath - You can breathe underwater.
¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± She was too tired to think about who it would be best for. Penelope put it in her pocket. ¡°Let¡¯s check the others.¡± Penelope glanced up at the timer above the open doorway to the Dungeon.
Day 4 - 9:08am
Time Remaining: 14:22:45:58
Penelope looked around for the Lupent Demon, but it was farther away from the middle of the campus where she was standing. The Scorb Demon was still in the north east alley, so she headed that way before looking for the other Demon. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. The scorpion/boar mashup had been beaten to a pulp, and if she hadn¡¯t seen it when they first started, Penelope wouldn¡¯t have known what it was supposed to have looked like. Now that it was dead, she could scan it with her menu and stopped on the tattered black belt.
Death Wrap Speed +1 Magic +1 Dark Resistance +11% Item Passive: One With the Shadows - You blend in with shadows, making it easier to sneak in the dark.
She had to dig in the mush to free the item. Once she got the buckle undone, it was a lot easier to remove, but she still had to deal with the metal studs that kept getting caught on the loops of the loin cloth. ¡°Pea¡­¡± Jeru cleared his throat. ¡°We have a problem.¡± Penelope yanked the item free and flicked the gore off of it before rolling it up. She looked over at her parasite. ¡°Wha-!¡± She saw what he was talking about before she finished the first word. Ula was slumped against the wall at the end of the alley with a big hole in her chest. Her metal armor had been torn off in chunks; the Demon had peeled her out of her protections, stabbing her in the heart with its stinger once her chest was exposed. ¡°NO!¡± Penelope ran down the alley and slid next to her friend. She pulled a healing potion out of her left pocket and poured it in the wound, using her left hand to force the red liquid to stay in the hole. There was no reaction to the magic¡ªnothing but blood mixed with a wasted effort that leaked over her fingers. ¡°She saved me.¡± A blond man in his late twenties wearing a brown leather jacket, a red t-shirt peeked around the corner of the building. He wrung his hands together. ¡°Did you know her?¡± Penelope wiped a tear from her eyes with the back of her sleeve, smearing something over her face. ¡°She was our leader.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± He looked her over. ¡°You¡¯re one of the ones who went into the thing.¡± The young man stuck out his hand. ¡°I¡¯m Derek Chapman.¡± Penelope just nodded at the offered hand. ¡°Penelope Flynn.¡± She held up her dirty, gloved hands. ¡°Probably don¡¯t want to touch this.¡± Derek took back his hand and nodded his thanks. ¡°Yeah.¡± He turned and looked at the woman who¡¯d saved him. ¡°I tried using , but it wasn¡¯t doing anything.¡± He glanced around the alley. ¡°Brayden and Charlie didn¡¯t make it.¡± Penelope noticed the other two men in the alley. At least she assumed they were who he was talking about. One was missing his head, and the other had a hole that went clear through his chest. ¡°Sorry about your friends.¡± ¡°I only knew them a couple days, but they helped me keep my head above water.¡± The blond man sighed. ¡°You seemed pretty strong out there; you wouldn¡¯t be looking for a couple extra people for your team?¡± Fear tightened its grip around her heart. Penelope closed her eyes and counted to five before opening them to answer the eager man. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to take a break for the rest of the day.¡± She tried to smile, even though her heart was still aching. It felt wrong to be talking about joining a new group while standing over Ula¡¯s body. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Derek¡¯s face fell. ¡°Well, if you change your mind, there¡¯s a bunch of us that are interested in knowing what all happened down there.¡± He nodded to the northeast. ¡°We¡¯ve taken over the Star Tower; just say that Derek asked for you and they¡¯ll let you in.¡± He looked down at Ula and started to ask a question but stopped himself. He smiled at her as he turned to walk away. ¡°The Star Tower!¡± Penelope gave him her most realistic fake smile and waved as he walked away. ¡°And so it begins.¡± Jeru shook his head. ¡°I¡¯d hoped that things wouldn¡¯t get so tribal so fast, but..." He sighed. ¡°The factions always start early.¡± ¡°Factions?¡± Penelope looked over at the Elf. ¡°A couple of them¡­" Jeru taped his cheek. ¡°It changes depending on who survives, but Derek is one of the faction leaders. They almost always hole up in the star dorm, so he usually survives.¡± ¡°What do you think of him?¡± Penelope walked to the end of the alley and looked around. There were a couple more buildings scattered on that side of the campus. People were starting to trickle out of the buildings, but there was no sign of the Lupent Demon. ¡°He¡¯s one of the most apathetic of all the leaders. He¡¯d rather just sit in his base and stay away from the fighting. Once he starts participating, he stays clear of the action, though since he¡¯s a Caster, that¡¯s not hard to do.¡± Jeru shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s not someone you should get involved with.¡± ¡°Gotcha.¡± Penelope walked back into the alley and crouched in front of her dead mentor. Despite the injury, Ula looked like she was just asleep; her face was calm and relaxed, which Penelope hoped meant that it hadn¡¯t been painful. ¡°I wasn¡¯t strong enough to save you.¡± She touched the woman¡¯s cold cheek. ¡°But I promise you. I¡¯ll find a way to get stronger, and when I do, I¡¯ll start over and make sure to save everyone.¡± Penelope wiped a tear off her cheek and didn¡¯t care that she smudged more dirt and gore over her face. She stood up and looked over at Jeru. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go get ready for the second floor.¡± Epilogue Feletis Bannem looked around at the carnage at his feet. How the Guild had sent hundreds of thousands of different Were soldiers to the University without him hearing a whisper about it troubled him. Unlike the rest of the Mages on Aethoria, he wasn¡¯t at risk of being turned into one of those creatures that was a slave to the cabal that ran the Guild, the only legal group of Weres in the Universe. The elf was over two-thousand-years-old, but if he hid his golden ears, he could pass for a forty-year-old human man. He looked through the hole in the wall of the building that he¡¯d just cleared. On the other side was the woman that he¡¯d raised like a daughter for almost the last three hundred years. Despite her age, white hair, and dark skin, owed to her drow heritage, she could pass as a woman in her late teens. Jhyleer Starbrand stood over the bodies of a dozen Werewolves, their blood splattered on her skin that was covered by a torn tank top and jeans. The Werewolves had seen a young Elf man and woman and expected an easy fight against young Mages that would end with two new Werewolves for the Guild. They hadn¡¯t been ready for the pair of experienced monster hunters. ¡°We could really use Jeru.¡± The drow tore a bigger hole in the wall with her hands. The stone broke away like it was paper. ¡°He¡¯s on an important assignment.¡± Feletis shook his head. This was a full-on assault against the Elders, of which he headed. Very few beings had enough magical power to challenge him, yet even he was restricted to only being able to project off-world, but the strength of the spell would keep him from being able to get back. ¡°More important than this?¡± Jhyleer motioned around at the carnage. ¡°The Weres are turning more students every day.¡± She shook her head. ¡°We¡¯ll win, but how many of us will be left when we do?¡± The old Elf started to answer, but a vision slammed into his mind. He saw Krav, the Grim Master Mage that he¡¯d left in charge of Tefira. Grim had an exoskeleton for skin, and their skeletal appearance caused most beings to avoid them, some even labeling them as ¡®living undead¡¯, though Feletis knew that wasn¡¯t true. His friend was standing in front of a swirling storm of darkness. At the center of the storm, the only thing he could make out was the tentacled face of the one monster he had been fighting against for over fifteen hundred years. Kinwel, the Cthulhu Archdemon, laughed inaudibly at the gathering challengers. There were many different races, but the one that stood out the most was a Camadt, the seven-foot-tall, four-armed, feline-faced, magically immune terrors of the Universe had been sealed away fifteen hundred years ago, but there was a colony of survivors on Tefira. That he would see a Camadt was alarming enough, but what didn¡¯t make sense was that Jhyleer was standing next to the monster, ready to do battle against the Archdemon. The vision faded away into dust. Feletis grabbed his forehead as his mind was able to take in what was actually around him. ¡°What happened?¡± Jhyleer helped the old Elf sit down. ¡°Was it another vision?¡± Feletis nodded. ¡°It seems that Kinwel has decided to make more than one move.¡± He looked around at the destroyed training room. ¡°I thought that Jeru¡¯s mission would be it, but..." He looked over at the young Elf woman. ¡°We¡¯re running out of agents I can send to put out fires.¡± His son had been different a few days ago. The boy had always been strong, but he¡¯d been bursting with power. He had also known things that Feletis had tried to keep from him. Things that would have been very dangerous if it got out, especially to his enemies. Secrets that were known to fewer people than he could count on his hands. But despite being different, his son was still the same deep inside. It had been his warning that had saved many lives when they were attacked, and even though Jhyleer was correct in stating that his power would be helpful, Feletis trusted that his son would explain everything once it was all over. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°What about the new kid, Kark?¡± Jhyleer put her hands on her hips. ¡°He¡¯s the strongest Mage I¡¯ve ever seen. Why don¡¯t we bring him in?¡± Shadows danced on her fingers. ¡°Or you could always let me go finish Warden.¡± ¡°You know why we can¡¯t tell the boy and leave Warden alone.¡± Feletis shook his head. The leader of the Ogres also led the minority faction of the Dark Masters, the group that opposed the High Elf Alliance and likely the ones who funded the assault on the planet. ¡°I know¡­¡± Jhyleer straightened and tried to mimic giving a lecture. ¡°In order to decrease collateral damage, there needs to be balance.¡± She shook her head and pointed at the dead Werewolves. ¡°Does that look like balance to you?¡± ¡°You remember what things were like before the Dark Legion. I¡¯ll figure out who is behind this, and if it¡¯s Warden, then I¡¯ll let you go after him.¡± A memory of a botched assassination attempt on the undead Ogre tried to force its way out. Feletis stuffed it back down. He¡¯d been against it, but the Congress had given the green light, and there had been war for hundreds of years because of that decision. He didn¡¯t want to be the one who lit that spark. Feletis had brokered peace three hundred years ago, and he was confident that he could do it again. ¡°I know¡­¡± Jhyleer swung her arms as she paced around him. ¡°I¡¯m just not good at waiting.¡± She stopped and looked down at her father figure. ¡°Are you okay? You look... tired.¡± Feletis chuckled. Tired was a good word for it. He¡¯d been trying to hold the universe together for almost fifteen hundred years. In all that time, he¡¯d never found anyone who could take over the reins. Some had come close, but none had ever been strong enough to shoulder such a burden. The old Elf brushed himself off. ¡°I need you¡ª.¡± ¡°No!¡± Jhyleer spun around. ¡°You¡¯re about to send me off while you stay here.¡± Her black eyes bored into him. ¡°You know you need me.¡± She pointed south towards the main campus. ¡°Name one other person who can be out here with you that doesn¡¯t have to worry about getting infected!¡± She had a point. While the two of them were immune, any pure-blood Mage could get infected by as little as a scratch. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Feletis tried to believe the words that he knew were false. Aethoria had already fallen; it was just a matter of how many Elves he would be able to get out. ¡°The Congress has promised¡ª¡± ¡°You know exactly how useless the Congress is!¡± Jhyleer punched the wall. ¡°Let me guess, Exir wants something in return.¡± ¡°Dumas is handling it.¡± The old Elf didn¡¯t want to rehash the history between Jhyleer and the Speaker. ¡°And if things get bad enough, you know I have other women I can call on.¡± Jhyleer glared at him. ¡°If either of them sets foot in Elf territory, it¡¯ll be civil war.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Send Lyst on the errand instead and let me stay here.¡± Before he could open his mouth, an image flashed in his mind. All of the people in the last vision were dead, with Kinwel standing over them. Feletis shook away the image. ¡°No, it has to be you.¡± Visions and prophecy had never been his thing, with his specialty being in fulgurmancy, but he did have prophecy in his blood. The visions had started recently and had been getting stronger and clearer every time. The one thing the old Elf knew was that if the visions were being this insistent, he needed to follow through. A destination that he¡¯d never been filled his mind. A place that wasn¡¯t Tefira. ¡°Here.¡± He started casting the spell that would punch a hole in the anti-projection field. Feletis could already feel the alarms he was setting off. In minutes, there would be an army of Weres on him. ¡°You need to go. NOW!¡± Jhyleer stopped in front of the portal, then turned back to the man who¡¯d been her father figure for the last three hundred years. ¡°You better not die before I get back.¡± Another image crossed his mind. One that gave him hope but also promised that he¡¯d be lying. ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± He pushed her into the portal and felt his power drain away as she vanished. Howls told him that he was about to have company. He brushed a tear from his eye and touched the wall where the woman who¡¯d been like a daughter to him for over three hundred years had vanished. ¡°I will see you again, though.¡± Feletis set his jaw and called on his magic. A good fight was just the distraction he needed. Book 2 - Chapter 1 Silence smothered the Dungeon. Penelope Flynn ran her pale fingers through the end of her red ponytail against her chest. Why do I have to be here? ¡°Because¡­¡± A blue Elf with black hair that only she could see appeared in front of her. The purple-robed man nodded at the pile of tree limbs in the middle of the square. ¡°You¡¯re one of the ones who survived.¡± A warm breeze tickled the back of her neck, prompting Penelope to pull her silver robe tighter around her. The musty basement air of the first floor had given way to the minty smell of the blue trees that grew in the parking lot of the school above them. Frederica had taken over, sending people with basic weapons they¡¯d looted from the first floot to gather enough wood to make a funeral pyre long enough to fit everyone who had died in the Dungeon Break. Penelope couldn¡¯t bring herself to look at the pyre that had been made off to the side of the entrance. It was sixty-four reminders of just how weak she¡¯d been. Five of those had even happened before the timer expired. You should have told me about that. She grumbled at the parasite inside her. ¡°Still calling me a parasite..." Jeru laughed. ¡°What would you have done if I had? How could you have saved them?¡± It means that I have to start from the beginning. Gripping herself tighter, she suppressed the shiver. ¡°You¡¯re a long ways away from that.¡± The blue Elf clicked his tongue. ¡°Just focus on the present.¡± ¡°Hey¡­¡± The mid-forties man on her left reached out but stopped before his hand touched her back. Penelope had to remind herself not to focus on the nameplate above Marlow¡¯s graying hair. It was something only she could see, thanks to the upgrade Jeru had made to her Mantle, the magical connection that everyone had received in order to have access to the system. ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault.¡± The Healer¡¯s soothing voice helped calm her nerves a little as he withdrew his hand. ¡°Thanks.¡± Penelope picked at her fingers. It felt wrong to be just standing around while everyone else did work, but Frederica was in charge, and this was where the late-forties blonde housewife had told her to stand. ¡°Sixty people died!¡± Frederica walked up to the long bed of wood as the last body was laid on it. ¡°Only eight of us were brave enough to go into the first floor, and this is what happens when we aren¡¯t strong enough!¡± Penelope looked at the man standing next to the blonde. Oakley Dewey had on his metal armor that they¡¯d looted from the Demons. Of the original eight, two had died; Patrick Heard, the other Tank, had stopped leveling at three. He was in the crowd that had gathered, not standing with the four level tens. There had been another level ten, but he ran as soon as the bosses spawned. No one had seen him, but he wasn¡¯t part of the dead, so he had to be somewhere. ¡°He always finds his way to Derek.¡± Jeru commented on her inner dialogue. That doesn¡¯t sound like a good pairing. ¡°It isn¡¯t. But we can talk about that later.¡± He pointed at Frederica. ¡°You might want to take notes.¡± You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡°...tragedy happen again!¡± Frederica motioned at the four of them. ¡°We¡¯re going to pair up to help you level. I¡¯ll be picking four people to join our two teams. Once we get you high enough that you can handle yourself, we¡¯ll take four more people to level.¡± Her green eyes scanned the group. ¡°I need twenty-four people who will be fighters to start!¡± A murmur ran through the group. Over six hundred humans had been brought to this alien world and trapped under the dome above them. Of those, less than half were gathered on the cleared first floor. Frederica¡¯s words echoed off the stone floor and ceiling. The floor itself was a mile-wide square, which allowed it to feel spacitous, despite the size of the crowd. ¡°Patrick¡­¡± The toned blonde pointed at the mid-forties man in front. ¡°Will be running a group of people who want to be support. You¡¯ll take care of water, food, and shelter for those of us who are fighting.¡± She nodded, then took a step back and pointed at the unlit pyre. ¡°We can¡¯t afford for this to happen again, so before you decide to back out because you think this isn¡¯t your fight, I want to remind you that was exactly what almost every one of the people who are in front of us today did and the fight came to them.¡± She nodded to the three Casters. One on each end and one in the middle. The spell users spoke their spells, igniting the pyre, then they stepped back. The silence ate away at the bodies as the heat intensified. I¡¯m going to have to live through this every time I reset? Penelope¡¯s heart ached as she watched the fire burn. I¡¯m going to have to go to a funeral? ¡°Now you see why so many people tap out early.¡± Pain filled Jeru¡¯s voice in her head. ¡°Reliving this even over and over again... It destroys minds.¡± They¡¯re not really dead, though. Penelope tried to focus on what was possible as she sealed that pain away in her mind. Not until the ArchDemon dies. ¡°That¡¯s years away.¡± The Elf reminded her. ¡°Are you sure you can take it?¡± I have to. Penelope wiped a tear from her cheek with the back of her hand. But I don¡¯t know how many times I¡¯m going to be able to reset to figure out a fight if I have to go through this every time. ¡°You¡¯re also going to have your team that you have to look out for.¡± Jeru appeared and pointed at the group Frederica was culling from those gathered. Penelope¡¯s heart drummed against her ribs as she ran over to the older blonde woman. ¡°Um, Frederica, can we talk for a minute?¡± ¡°What?¡± Frederica half-turned, keeping her gaze on the crowd in front of her. ¡°Aretha Reynolds, you¡¯re in the first group!¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I pick the team that would work best with Marlow and I?¡± The green-eyed woman turned her glare to Penelope. She had to look away; the gaze was too intense to even look at the other woman¡¯s face. ¡°We just lost over sixty people; two of them were good fighters!¡± ¡°She just called Judah a good fighter!¡± Jeru chuckled. Not helping. Penelope looked down at her feet. ¡°I know. But¡ª¡± ¡°No buts!¡± Frederica swept her hand towards the crowd. ¡°These people need someone who can make a decision, someone who can inspire them.¡± She leaned forward and lifted Penelope¡¯s chin, forcing the other woman to look her in the eye. ¡°Someone who can look at them.¡± The words were faint compared to the thundering in Penelope¡¯s ears. She nodded and pulled away. ¡°When are we starting?¡± ¡°That¡¯s your group.¡± Frederica motioned at the dozen people who had been pulled off to the side. "Patrick is going to get them geared out with our leftover gear, then we¡¯re going into the next floor.¡± She touched the other woman¡¯s shoulder and guided her away from the group. ¡°Look, I know you don¡¯t like this, and you probably wish it was me who¡¯d died in that alley and not Ula.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Frederica waved her hand. ¡°I get it, Penny. You don¡¯t like me and I don¡¯t like you, but we both know that we work well together, and that¡¯s why we survived.¡± The older woman took a deep breath. ¡°So that¡¯s why I need to do this. I need you to lead these people and help me build them up into something that can keep this from ever happening again.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Penelope fought a shiver. ¡°But can you do one thing?¡± ¡°What?¡± Frederica sighed. ¡°My friends call me Pea, not Penny.¡± Penelope swallowed as she stuck out her hand. ¡°Pea huh?¡± Frederica smirked and took the offered hand. "Well, Pea, call me Freddy then.¡± Book 2 - Chapter 2 The group looked scared. Penelope walked over to the pile of gear Patrick had laid out. They¡¯d been piling up the gear they¡¯d taken from the monsters. Ula had known they¡¯d need to gear out the people on the surface, and Patrick had sorted everything out while the rest of the team fought. ¡°There¡¯s not much of the enchanted stuff¡­¡± The mid-forties man shook his head. ¡°Dawson ran off with all of his gear, and we haven¡¯t been able to find the drops from two of the bosses.¡± The sound of his teeth grinding sent a shiver down Penelope¡¯s spine. "Sorry, none of it was something you could use.¡± ¡°Marlow and Freddy got upgrades at least.¡± Penelope looked at the Healer walking up to her. Both men were in their mid-forties, but Marlow gave her a vibe of a gentle father figure while Patrick acted like a perennial bachelor who never left college. ¡°Freddy told me to go ahead and take the team in with a load of goods.¡± The balding man looked over at Penelope. ¡°We also need to make a team if you want to do that.¡± Jeru? Penelope pleaded for some help. Team sports had never been in her comfort zone, and being a team captain had never happened before. ¡°Pull up your menu.¡± The Elf in her mind instructed. ¡°Then you¡¯ll be able to go over to the party tab.¡± He appeared in front of her and pointed at the button. Penelope focused on the tab, and it opened, showing only two people in her party. Herself as the leader and Marlow. ¡°Now move your menu over their nametags, and it¡¯ll add them to the party.¡± Won¡¯t they have to accept or something? Penelope swept her gaze over the group in front of her. ¡°A lot of it comes down to intent. Since you intend for these people to join your group and they intend to join, there isn¡¯t a need for any confirmation.¡± Jeru sighed. ¡°Of course, if someone is unsure, they¡¯ll have to manually confirm to join.¡± ¡°Why does it say that a kid is the party leader?¡± Penelope looked at the dark-haired man. His arms were covered, but there was no hiding the fact that he¡¯d done a lot of heavy lifting in his past. The bulging muscles under his armor weren¡¯t from a gym; they were from hard, manual labor. The nametag above his head marked him as Abel Cotton. With her menu still open, information began compiling next to him. ¡°Mid forties, worked as a miner, hauling gravel. He was adopted out of an abusive family and walled himself off emotionally. He likes everything to follow a vote and be democratic.¡± Jeru groaned. ¡°He¡¯s going to slow you down.¡± ¡°Penny is the most capable person on our team. Her system allows her to see monster stats and skills, which makes her the best person to lead us.¡± Marlow stepped up to the bigger man. ¡°I think we should have a say if we¡¯re going to be risking our lives to fight these monsters.¡± The dark-haired man stroked his short beard. ¡°And I don¡¯t think a kid who looks like they couldn¡¯t find their way out of a wet paper bag should be the one leading us.¡± Penelope glanced at the others. A quick check of their ages put all but one of them older than her, and the next closest one was 35. None of them are going to want to take orders from me. Penelope glanced at Jeru, hoping for some advice. ¡°Remind them why they should follow you.¡± The blue Elf glanced at Patrick before looking back at her. ¡°None of you were out there fighting the Cabbit Demon with me and Frederica.¡± Penelope cleared her throat. She kept her gaze moving from person to person so that she wouldn¡¯t have to stare down anyone. ¡°If you were watching, then you know what we can do, and you know how much stronger we are than you right now.¡± Penelope motioned at the group in front of her. ¡°That gear you¡¯re wearing? WE collected it by killing the Demons that were wearing it.¡± She paused to let the weight sink in. ¡°We can help you level and survive, but..." She turned to the muscular man. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be here, then drop the gear and walk away. But we aren¡¯t voting on who the leader is. Frederica put me in charge of keeping you safe, and that¡¯s what I¡¯m going to do. But that means you have to do what I say. So if you have a problem with that... She fought the urge to run away as she looked into his blue eyes. ¡°Leave.¡± Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Abel held her gaze for a few seconds but looked away before the nerves raging inside her could stop her. ¡°Fine, but I¡¯m not going first. Prove you can keep somebody else alive.¡± Penelope swung her arms to try to hide the shivers that were running up and down her whole body. ¡°We need four people, so..." Jeru, help? ¡°Whitney is a follower; she won¡¯t give you any problems being on the first team. Robert worked with Abel, and they have a rivalry. Give him a chance to show up the other guy, and he¡¯ll jump at it. Kent is smart enough to realize that the first ones to level will be the first ones to start a new team. He¡¯s about to ask to join anyway. Bradley will be best in the last slot. He likes puzzles, so the two of you should get along.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to be on the first team.¡± Kent raised his hand and stepped forward. He was in his early fifties, but the way he held himself let everyone know he was comfortable with the sword on his back despite his wirey arms. He was also pale, like he hadn¡¯t been outside much, but there was a hunger in his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s a physical attacker." Penelope nodded at him and turned to Whitney. The blonde woman was in her early forties. Fear oozed off her thick enough to rub off on anyone close as she twisted the shaft of the bow in her hands and looked down at her feet. ¡°Whitney, you¡¯ll be our ranged attacker.¡± Penelope nodded at the other woman, then turned to Robert. The muscular man smiled when her gaze stopped on him. ¡°I¡¯m in.¡± The red-haired man pounded his fist against his broad chest as he turned to Abel. ¡°I¡¯ll show you what a real man does!¡± Abel shook his head and moved to the back of the crowd. ¡°That only leaves a Tank.¡± Penelope looked at the blond man. ¡°Bradley.¡± Bradley stood up straight when she called his name. He made a sign of a cross on his chest and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m ready to help kill some Demons!¡± He was just as pale and thin as Kent, but without the confidence or killing intent. The metal armor that protected him at least made him seem like he would survive a few hits. ¡°Pack up your stuff.¡± Penelope looked over at Patrick, who was grinning from ear to ear. She shook her head as she looked back at her team. ¡°We probably won¡¯t be able to come back, so carry whatever Patrick tells you to grab, then meet me at the portal.¡± She checked the time.
Day 4 - 5:37pm
Time Remaining: 14:14:16:16
¡°The countdown didn¡¯t stop just because we were fighting and burying our..." The last words caught in her throat. Penelope blinked back the tears as she turned to keep the others from seeing the struggle on her face. ¡°The timer doesn¡¯t stop.¡± She waited for the weight of those words to sink in. ¡°If the second floor is like the first one, then we¡¯ve got two weeks to clear 97 squares.¡± Penelope steadied herself, then turned around to face her group. ¡°Get your gear and let¡¯s go.¡± An old robe with the arms tied had been converted into a makeshift bag. It contained the clothes she¡¯d been wearing when she¡¯d arrived. There were also a few potions that she¡¯d grabbed, though they were Tier Zero, and now that she was level ten, they weren¡¯t going to be as effective. All her worldly possessions could be rolled up in an old wrap. The feeling of how insignificant her life had been up to that point weighed on her shoulders. The whole reason she was here was because her disappearance didn¡¯t change the timeline. Penelope pushed all the negative thoughts that built up out of her mind. She was making a difference now. And she wasn¡¯t going to stop until she¡¯d figured out a way to stop all of this from happening. Penelope stopped in front of the portal and turned to Marlow, who had been walking just a few steps behind her. ¡°Are you ready?¡¯ She tried to give him a reassuring smile. ¡°No.¡± The older man chuckled. ¡°But if we don¡¯t go to them, then they¡¯ll come for us.¡± He glanced at the group strown out behind them. Each one carrying monster skins, bones, shells, or laden down with meat. Penelope looked over at the dead Creeper Soldier a few hundred feet away. Even though they had carried Judah¡¯s body over to the pyre, the monster that had killed him was still where it had fallen. The memory tried to force its way into her mind, but she puched it away. She didn¡¯t need to get distracted by remembering how the infatuated man had sacrificed himself to shield her from a surprise attack. ¡°I¡¯m going to save you.¡± Penelope promised him under her breath as she turned to look at the rest of the group. ¡°If this is like the first floor, then there should be a safe zone on the other side.¡± ¡°There is.¡± Penelope ignored her parasite. ¡°I¡¯m going through first. Bradley, follow me, then the rest of you with Marlow last.¡± She glanced at her party, then at the rest of the group. ¡°The rest of you, wait two minutes, then come in after us.¡± Abel opened his mouth, but she didn¡¯t wait to hear whatever complaint he was about to voice. She turned and walked through the portal to the next floor. Book 2 - Chapter 3 The air was colder. Goosebumps crawled up her skin as she looked around the empty room. ¡°You got the air one!¡± Jeru frowned as he moved around in front of her. ¡°Not good.¡± Why? Penelope scanned the area. The biggest change was the area outside the barrier. Large, jagged walls blocked most of her view, leaving tunnels as the only way forward. There also wasn¡¯t a single Demon in sight. ¡°1,056 feet wide by 2,112 feet long.¡± Jeru motioned at the barrier. ¡°Each square has four groups of Demons in them, which unfortunately allows them to mingle. And with the tunnels..." He shook his head. "That''s a lot of places where you can be ambushed.¡± His face lit up. ¡°Oh and this floor should have a really fun mechanic that you¡¯ll get to see in...¡± Bradley ran through the portal with his shield up. ¡°AHHH!!!!¡± WHOOSH¡­SCREECH Penelope covered her ears as a blast of wind whisted from the ceiling. The air crashed into the floor and spread outwards. ¡°WHAT WAS THAT?¡± Bradley screamed even though the loud noise was over. ¡°A floor mechanic.¡± Pepelope opened her mouth wide to pop her ears. How often does it do that? ¡°Center of each square every ten minutes.¡± Jeru grumbled. ¡°The deeper we go, the more the Demons are able to modify the floors.¡± Of course they can. Penelope stuck her wand in her belt and turned to her left. She¡¯d cleared 1D through 1A first on the last floor, so 11D through 11A seemed like a good way to go. She pointed at the opening. ¡°Bradley, put your stuff over there. That¡¯s where we¡¯ll start once everyone gets here.¡± ¡°OKAY!¡± The blond man yelled as he picked up the roll of mole hide that he¡¯d dropped. Kent came through the portal next with Whitney right behind him. The pair looked around, with the other woman hanging back closer to the portal. ¡°This is so different¡­¡± Kent still had his sword out as he took in the floor. He turned to Penelope. ¡°You sure we¡¯re safe?¡± ¡°This is a safe zone.¡± Penelope pointed at the barrier. ¡°Once we kill all the monsters in that square, the barrier between here and there will drop, and it will get added to the safe zone.¡± Penelope looked over at Whitney, who was running her hand over the surface of the portal. ¡°We can¡¯t go back. The barrier is one way.¡± She watched the other woman caress the portal for a moment before continuing. ¡°The only way back to the surface is to kill the floor bosses.¡± ¡°Or let the timer run out.¡± Kent sheathed his sword without looking at them. ¡°Like you did on the last floor.¡± ¡°We¡­¡± Penelope took a deep breath. She didn¡¯t know what to say and had a feeling that nothing she did say would make the situation any better. ¡°What happens if we just ran straight there?¡± The black-haired man pointed straight ahead. ¡°We just keep running through the barriers until we reach the boss?¡± ¡°You saw what they did to the level ones.¡± Penelope turned away from the portal as she turned her thoughts inward. Jeru? What would happen if we ran through the barrier from one square into the next? ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± The blue Elf glared at the swordsman as he spoke in her mind. ¡°The barriers can only be permeated from the safezone; otherwise, the demons would all congregate on the last column and wait for everyone there.¡± ¡°Besides¡­¡± Penelope cleared her throat. ¡°You can only go through a barrier from the safe zone.¡± Would have been nice to know when I was worried about getting knocked into another square. ¡°It didn¡¯t matter.¡± Jeru shrugged as Robert walked through the portal with Marlow. The two men looked around. ¡°Still a safe zone?" Marlow blinked. ¡°It looks bigger.¡± If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°It¡¯s twice as big.¡± Penelope pointed at where Bradley had dropped his things. ¡°I told them to start stacking the stuff over there.¡± ¡°Sounds like a good idea.¡± The Healer hooked the small crossbow in his hands on the ring on his belt. ¡°It sure¡ª¡± WHOOSH¡­SCREECH Everyone covered their ears as the jet of air whisted out of the ceiling. ¡°What was that?!¡± Marlow raised his voice but wasn¡¯t yelling like Bradley had. ¡°A new floor mechanic.¡± Penelope rubbed her jaw as she popped it again. ¡°Last one was about ten minutes ago.¡± ¡°Great, one more thing to worry about.¡± Marlow grumbled. He looked at the passageways leading into the Dungeon. ¡°We can¡¯t see what monsters we¡¯re going to be up against either!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out.¡± Penelope took a deep breath. ¡°Now, we just need to wait until the next group comes in so we can tell them about the whistle and let them know everything is safe.¡± She looked at the pile of skins the others had brought. ¡°You didn¡¯t bring a tent, did you?¡± ¡°Patrick didn¡¯t want to send the first group through with anything heavy, so all we have is bedrolls.¡± Whitney rubbed her arms. ¡°I don¡¯t know how we¡¯re going to sleep with that thing screaming every ten minutes.¡± ¡°Maybe it doesn¡¯t blast through the night.¡± Penelope tried to give the other woman some hope. ¡°It does.¡± Jeru seemed a little too happy as he shattered that hope. Not helping. Penelope kept her face neutral even though she wanted to glare at the Elf. She didn¡¯t need the others to think she was upset with them when she couldn¡¯t direct her frustration at the proper source. ¡°Why don¡¯t we introduce ourselves while we wait?¡± Marlow sat down on the fur that he¡¯d carried and motioned for everyone to join him. Once they¡¯d all sat down, he began. ¡°I¡¯m Marlow Bloomer. I was a mechanic back on earth. It was just me and my son¡­¡± He swallowed and looked around at the group. ¡°Anthony is sixteen, so I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be fine until I can get back to him¡­¡± He covered his face with both his hands. ¡°My boy will be twenty-one before we can get back.¡± ¡°I have two kids. Molly and Zane.¡± Bradley reached over and clasped the other man on the shoulder. ¡°They have their mother, Jessica Merrill, who¡¯s the love of my life, to look after them. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s someone who will help look after your boy until we all get back.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Marlow wiped the tears from his face and cleared his throat. ¡°Sorry about that. I¡¯ve been trying not to think about the family and friends we left behind. I¡¯m sure everyone has someone that¡¯s going to miss them.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got a big family, but haven¡¯t seen any of them in a few years.¡± Robert puffed out his chest. ¡°They didn¡¯t like my girlfriend and told me to choose them or her.¡± He spit to the side. ¡°Turns out, she decided she¡¯d rather have a thruple with a couple whose family didn¡¯t hate her.¡± He shruggled. ¡°But it¡¯s all good. I¡¯ve got my buddies from the quarry. No kids.¡± He winked at Whitney. ¡°That I know of.¡± The blonde flinched and pulled her knees against her chest. ¡°I¡¯m Whitney Wilcox, forty-two.¡± She hugged her knees tighter. ¡°I worked at the Fish Barn as a cook. No kids.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re looking for some..." Robert smirked. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind tryin¡¯ to help you out.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Whitney spoke fast. ¡°I was adopted. I¡¯m not risking putting someone else through that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s horrible!¡± Bradley offered her a sympathetic look. ¡°I don¡¯t know you well, but I think you¡¯d make a great mom.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not¡­¡± Whitney closed her eyes and swallowed. ¡°I get along great with my adopted parents, but I¡¯ve lived my whole life having to wonder why my real parents didn¡¯t want me.¡± She failed to suppress a shiver. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to risk putting someone else through that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re a great aunt.¡± Bradley smiled. The blonde shook her head. ¡°Only child.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re lovely all the same.¡± He looked over at the only man who hadn¡¯t spoken. ¡°Kent, was it? What do you do? Any family waiting back home for you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Kent Shipley, Financial Planner.¡± The red-haired man eyed everyone. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking, but I grew up poor and threw everything I had into my education. That didn¡¯t leave a lot of time for me to start a family. I spend most of my free time coding, so I don¡¯t get out much.¡± ¡°We know who¡¯s buying the drinks when we get back!¡± Robert laughed and slapped his leg. He turned to Penelope. ¡°So what about you, girlie? You looking for a big, strong man to keep you warm?¡± He¡¯s twice my age! Penelope took a deep breath to suppress her discomfort at both his comment and having to speak in public. Earlier had been more of a life-or-death type situation, but now it felt personal. And that made her very uncomfortable. ¡°I¡¯m Penelope Flynn, twenty-two, and no, I don¡¯t need a...¡± ¡°Careful. Calling him a Neanderthal is only going to start a fight.¡± She coughed to cover up her pause. ¡°As I was saying, I¡¯m focused on clearing this death trap right now, so I don¡¯t lose any more friends.¡± She stood up. ¡°I¡¯m going to walk the barrier and see if I can figure out what monsters we¡¯re up against.¡± No one tried to stop, nor did anyone join her as she walked along the barrier. Was that really the best you could grab? Penelope chided her companion. ¡°You try to grab six hundred people while you¡¯re dying while you¡¯re also importing a system and creating a time loop at the same time!¡± Jeru clicked his tongue. ¡°If I took the wrong person and messed up the vector for Alex..." His voice trailed off. ¡°The awakening killed a lot of people, and one thing that Alex always said was how he wished they could have saved more from dying when they first got their powers. I guess I just wanted to try to save some people that he regretted not being able to.¡± I just hope they were worth saving. Penelope eyed the group as they got up to greet the next round of people. ¡°You and me both¡­¡± Jeru¡¯s voice faded. ¡°You and me both.¡± Book 2 - Chapter 4 It took an hour for the first group to get set up. None of them were used to the air blast. The whistling screech along with the blast of air was enough to knock over the tents that the others had brought. While there was a part of her that wanted to stay and help figure out how to stabilize their sleeping quarters, Penelope knew that she had other things she needed to focus on. ¡°Bradley, stay beside me.¡± Penelope motioned for the older man to come over to her. ¡°I¡¯ll try to kill them before they get to us, but I don¡¯t know what they¡¯re going to be, so if they rush us, I need you to taunt them.¡± She looked over her shoulder at the graying man. ¡°Marlow will heal you, so just focus on holding their attention.¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± Bradley saluted. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡± Penelope shook her head as she turned to the others. ¡°Whitney and Robert, don¡¯t shoot at anything that¡¯s around us. Shooting around allies is a good way to get hit by friendly fire. If you see something coming from the side, feel free to try to slow it down.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Robert snickered as he mimicked the salute. Whitney just nodded. ¡°Kent.¡± Penelope ignored the miner and turned her attention to the oldest person in their group. ¡°Your skill is , it will let you stab something fast. Try to finish off anything that I don¡¯t kill that¡¯s close to Bradley.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be in your shadow.¡± Kent smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s wait for the next whistle, then we¡¯ll head out.¡± Penelope tapped on her leg while she waited. It didn¡¯t take long until the headache-inducing shriek passed over them. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Penelope charged through the barrier. As soon as she was through, she spoke the words of her spell. ¡°Light Torrent!¡± Four orbs of light the size of baseballs and four smaller ones the size of tennis balls appeared behind her. Penelope guided the larger orbs in front of them, with the smaller ones following behind the primary spell. ¡°This will keep anything from surprising us from the front¡­¡± Penelope eyed the rock walls. Jeru, is anything going to burst out of the walls? ¡°It¡¯s a possibility, but I wouldn¡¯t plan on that happening until you get to the earth or metal floors.¡± The other inner voice snorted. ¡°Demons like to be clever, but most of them have been around so long; they¡¯ve got the one trick they really like, and that¡¯s all they ever use.¡± ¡°Keep your eyes open!¡± Penelope squinted as more of the tunnel was illuminated by her projectiles. Unlike the first floor, where the light from the barriers lit up the whole floor, the light only reached less than a hundred feet. Given her light balls could reach that far and provided light for 40 feet around them, moving down the tunnel was a slow, cautious trek. ¡°Door on your left.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Penelope pulled the glowing projectiles back to the hole in the wall 20 feet in front of her on her left. Jeru, is this something you know from previous runs? ¡°What do you see?¡± Bradley craned his neck to try to see why they¡¯d stopped. ¡°Demons use all of the same tricks. That includes maps, monsters, and magic.¡± The Elf floated over to the opening. ¡°I can¡¯t see in there because it¡¯s not within your field of vision, but there¡¯s definitely a room here.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a hole in the wall where my Light Balls are.¡± Penelope glanced at the others. ¡°I¡¯m going to check it out.¡± ¡°Be careful!¡± Marlow¡¯s voice echod down the tunnel. ¡°If there is an ambush waiting for you in here, they know you¡¯re coming¡­¡± Jeru scoffed. ¡°Your idea of sneaking could wake a rock.¡± If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Just keep your eyes peeled and let me know if something is coming. Penelope suppressed a shiver. I don¡¯t want to reset so soon. Penelope stayed close to the right side of the tunnel as she approached the hole. Once she could see inside, she directed the projectiles into the room. ¡°Leave one in the hall.¡± Jeru floated inside. ¡°The others aren¡¯t going to be able to see if you don¡¯t.¡± Good call. Penelope pulled the closest one to her back into the hall and directed it towards the ceiling. It wouldn¡¯t stop any monsters, but it wouldn¡¯t get in the way of the rest of her group either. The room was empty, save for a little dust on the rough stone floor. Penelope paced the wall she was on as she kept an eye on the opposite wall. ¡°Forty feet by about eighty.¡± She stopped in front of the opening to the tunnel. ¡°It¡¯s clear! But there are two more doors in here!¡± ¡°What did I just say about stealth?¡± Jeru shook his head. ¡°The whole floor knows exactly where you are!¡± Bradley walked in and pointed at the set of doors on the south and west walls. ¡°Want me to check them out?¡± ¡°Stay here until the others get close, then we¡¯ll check them out.¡± Penelope moved a Light Ball in front of each door and put the last one in the middle of the room. ¡°I thought this was going to have more fighting.¡± Robert complained as he bounced his staff off his shoulders. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been ten minutes yet, and all we¡¯ve done is shuffle our feet like scared little girls!¡± WHOOSH¡­SCREECH ¡°It¡¯s been ten minutes.¡± Kent walked over to the other end of the room, where the Light Balls were blocking the doors. ¡°Wait!¡± Penelope hurried over to him. ¡°You don¡¯t need to go first.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got this.¡± Kent twirled his short sword and dagger in his hands. ¡°In the world of finance, you have to take risks to profit.¡± He pointed at the doors. ¡°The same principle applies here. You don¡¯t know how many rooms there are or how many monsters are hiding. All we know is that we¡¯re not fighting, which means that barrier isn¡¯t going down and we¡¯re not getting any closer to going home.¡± ¡°I know!¡± Penelope took a breath. ¡°But charging in recklessly is only going to get everyone killed.¡± ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen..." Kent stepped up to her. He wasn¡¯t much taller, but his glare was something that Penelope couldn¡¯t meet. ¡°You don¡¯t know how to lead. Your caution is going to get us all killed because we¡¯re never going to meet the deadline.¡± He eyed the rest of the group to see if anyone was going to speak up. No one did. ¡°Now, Bradley.¡± Kent looked at their tank. ¡°Head into the room in the back. We¡¯ll clear that room, then move on to the next. We¡¯re done with this slow-moving plan.¡± ¡°He¡¯s going to get you all killed if you don¡¯t let him see that you won¡¯t be challenged!¡± Jeru¡¯s incorporial foot went through the other man¡¯s groin. ¡°Just do that! Establish dominance! You can take him!¡± ¡°Not so tough when Mama isn¡¯t here to hold your hand, are you?¡± Kent scoffed. ¡°Pathetic.¡± Penelope took a step back, putting distance between the two of them. ¡°You¡¯ve killed actual Demons and you¡¯re¡ª¡± Jeru¡¯s rant vanished as he was hit with the memories Penelope failed to suppress. ¡°You know what? This is a failed run; let¡¯s just reset, and then we can start over with a new group.¡± NO. Penelope straightened her shoulders. ¡°If you want to lead, fine.¡± She motioned at the door. ¡°After you.¡± ¡°Seriously? You¡¯re going to let him just take the team from you?¡± He hasn¡¯t fought a monster yet, and I can¡¯t have him questioning my orders when we¡¯re in the middle of a fight. Penelope swallowed. ¡°You¡¯re going to let him and Bradley die just to prove a point?¡± Jeru tilted his head. ¡°Harsh.¡± It¡¯s not like I¡¯m not going to try to save them. Penelope hugged her arms. But I¡¯m not going to fight him and the demons. ¡°I hope you know what you¡¯re doing.¡± Jeru shook his head as Kent looked back at her. ¡°Hey! We need light in here!¡± Kent pointed at the shadow in the doorway while looking at her. ¡°MONSTER!¡± Bradley gipped his shield and took a step to the right. A fat, beige monster with brown spots barreled into the Tank, knocking him into the middle of the room. The wolf-like face seemed out of place on the hairless, pudgy monster. It was so plump that it covered the man who was on top of it with the folds of flubber. Stumpy legs clawed against the metal armor as the Wulf scratched its downed prey. Penelope didn¡¯t have time to dwell on the monster¡¯s name as she directed the Light Ball in the doorway to slam into the flabby monster¡¯s back. ¡°Back¡ª!¡± Kent¡¯s skill was cut off as a pair of bug monsters crashed into him. His weapons went sliding across the floor as the two flea-looking monsters the size of a wolf bit his arms. ¡°HELP!¡± Book 2 - Chapter 5 Each Light Ball hit a bug. Penelope left the one over the doorway they¡¯d entered, but that plunged most of the room into darkness. ¡°USE YOU SKILLS!¡± Penelope pointed at the outline of the monsters that were tearing pieces off of the downed man, covered in a soft green glow. ¡°LIGHT TORRENT!¡± A pair each went into the bugs, burning more holes in them. Ding! Experience +6 Experience +6 Penelope recast the spell and sent the balls to the doors the monsters had come through, but not fast enough to stop a three-foot-tall, blue-feathered birdman from running into the room. The monster was more bird than man, having five-fingered hands with nails like claws at the ends of its wings but otherwise being all bird. The nameplate over its head declared it to be a Chom, and its red eyes were locked onto Penelope. ¡°Light Torrent!¡± Penelope cast the spell in front of her like a wall. The four main balls, plus the four smaller ones, providing her a screen to hold the monster back. The agile bird twisted to her left and straightened its neck as it dove beak-first at her. All four of the Light Balls slammed into it, knocking the monster to the side where it rolled behind her. Ding! Experience +6 Penelope turned her attention to their Tank. ¡°Someone¡ª¡± Ding! Experience +6 A cluster of arrows stuck out of the Wulf¡¯s head, letting them know it was dead. ¡°GIRLBOSS!¡± Plink! Plink! Penelope turned to look at a Shadow Knight charging into the room through the door behind her. The spiked shield connected with Whitney, bowling the archer over and rolling her across the floor. Marlow ran to the southeast corner, away from the doors. He had both hands out, one pointed at Kent and the other at Whitney. Neither man showed any sign that they were getting up anytime soon. Robert continued casting stones the size of a golfball at the Shadow Knight, but the small projectiles weren¡¯t even denting the bloody shield. The metal-encased Demon shifted its attention to the other Caster and charged. ¡°Tornado Alley!¡± Penelope created the vortexes of air in between Robert and the Demon. The small room was the same size as some houses, but that didn¡¯t mean it could hold the violent air. The twisters pulled the dust and debris off the floor, making the room feel much smaller as the objects whipped around. The Shadow turned its attention to the stronger Caster, its red eyes narrowing as it pointed the hammer in its right hand at her. You die. ¡°Bring it!¡± Penelope took a step back, her foot slipping on the body of the Chum, forcing her to shift to her left to give herself more space. ¡°They can talk!¡± Robert backed away more towards the eastern wall, but that put him dangerously close to being in a corner. ¡°Just keep casting!¡± Penelope flicked her wand, keeping the columns of twisting air pressing on the Knight. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°And look for the other Demon.¡± Jeru added. ¡°And look out for the last minion!¡± Penelope cast again, illuminating the room even more. The single that was left over from the first casting was still hovering above the door on the northern wall. One moved straight up, so the one over the door could slam into the Demon¡¯s back. The other three went over the top of the shield. One was smashed by the hammer, and the second one caught on the lip of the shield as she launched them at the Demon¡¯s head. The third one caught it in the face, staggering it. ¡°LIGHT BLAST!¡± Penelope was ready the moment the shield swung to destroy her second projectile. The Shadow Knight was close, but she¡¯d angled herself to where none of the others would get caught in the blast. Her back was to the south, which was where the two doors could hole the last monster, but Penelope had to deal with the boss. Once it was dead, the lesser Demon would be easy to handle. The Shadow Knight charged through the twisters, stumbling as it moved but breaking through. The stumble saved her from taking a direct hit, and only her right arm was cut by the spikes on the shield as it clipped her. Penelope switched the wand to her left hand and pointed it at the Demon¡¯s exposed back. Both Marlow and Whitney would get his with an area of effect, or AoE, spell, but she could still use her current favorite. ¡°LIGHT TORRENT!¡± She cast the spell, not bothering to control the balls of light instead, just letting them rain into the Demon¡¯s metal covered back. The first cast burned holes in the armor and knocked the monster down. The second cast pushed it back down as it struggled to get up. The third cast destroyed the back of the armor and reduced the Demon inside to a puff of smoke. Ding! Experience +14 Green light wrapped around her arm. The cuts itched as they knit themselves together. Penelope pulled back her sleeve to inspect where the would had been. If she¡¯d still been wearing her red robe, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to tell that she¡¯d been injured. The silver one she had on now only had a few lines of red to tell that there had been an injury at all. ¡°I¡¯m good; focus on the others.¡± Penelope recast and put a ball in the middle of each of the doors, while keeping a second one overhead. ¡°Robert, help me get this thing off Bradley!¡± The Wulf felt like a mound of pudding when Penelope pushed against the hairless monster. ¡°Grab a leg.¡± Robert grabbed the front left leg near the hip and pulled up. Penelope grabbed the back left leg and did the same. Together, they were able to roll the monster on its back and off of Bradley. ¡°You¡¯re going to be okay.¡± Penelope kneeled next to the prone man. ¡°Are you hurt anywhere?¡± ¡°Wha¡­ What was that thing?¡± Bradley shivered in his metal armor. ¡°It¡¯s one of the monsters down here.¡± Penelope glanced at the two doors less than five feet away. The Wulf was a good two-foot-high barrier if something tried to rush them, but if there was an archer or magic user still out there, then they were fully exposed under the light. ¡°We need to get away from the doors.¡± Penelope stood up and moved both balls of light deeper into the rooms. Jeru, do you see anything? ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye out, but you haven¡¯t seen an eighth of this square, and there¡¯s still three more groups out there.¡± What about the fifth minion? ¡°One of the others might have taken it.¡± Jeru scowled. ¡°The deeper you go, the more you¡¯ll see mismatched dynamics and the Shadows establishing a hierarchy in each square.¡± He turned around to look at her from the corner with the double doors. ¡°Don¡¯t expect every fight to have exactly five lesser Demons and one Shadow Demon anymore.¡± ¡°Penny!¡± Marlow tugged at her shirt sleeve. ¡°What?¡± Penelope blinked as she pulled herself out of the internal conversation she was having with Jeru. ¡°Kent¡¯s pretty bad.¡± The graying Healer pointed at the older man. ¡°I think he¡¯s stable, but he lost a lot of blood. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s going to be able to fight any more until after he¡¯s had a good night¡¯s sleep.¡± Marlow pointed at the blonde woman lying beside the unconscious man. ¡°Whitney isn¡¯t as bad. She¡¯s weak, but could probably fight if she had to.¡± He swallowed and lowered his voice. ¡°I think Bradley is in shock.¡± Penelope looked at the Tank. Robert had helped the younger man over to the western wall of the room where Kent and Whitney were lying. Bradley was sitting down with his back against the stone wall, but he was very pale, and despite Robert talking to him, the younger man''s eyes were unfocused, like he was staring at something very far away. ¡°We have to kill that last one so I can get them back to camp.¡± Marlow glanced at the two doors in the corner near them. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t it be charging at us?¡± ¡°New floor, new rules.¡± Penelope shook her head. ¡°And there isn¡¯t just one left out there. If these squares are four times as big¡­¡± It took a moment for the realization to hit the other man, but when it did, Marlow gasped. ¡°You don¡¯t think there are twenty more monsters in here with us?¡± ¡°Nineteen, but yes.¡± Penelope took a deep breath. ¡°And that one that got away is going to tell them where we are.¡± As if on cue, the Dungeon let out its whistle. WHOOSH¡­SCREECH Book 2 - Chapter 6 Penelope scanned the Shadow Knight.
Gauntlets Defense +2 Metal Damage +5%
She pulled off the gloves and tossed them towards Bradley. ¡°Put these on when you¡¯re feeling better.¡± ¡°Is there anything I can wear?¡± Robert walked over to the corpse. Penelope pawed around on the belt until she found the potion sling.
MInor Healing Potion Heal wounds. Effects greatly diminished after T1 Minor Mana Potion Restores Mana. Effects greatly diminished after T1 Minor Infernal Water Water from the Abyss. Crafting Item
¡°Got it!¡± She took the sling over to Marlow and held it out. ¡°You¡¯ll need these once we hit level eleven.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± Marlow took the sling and put it in his yellow robe¡¯s pocket. ¡°I only got thirty-five experience out of that fight, so I¡¯ll need two more before I can¡¯t use the potions I have.¡± She looked at the three wounded members of her party. ¡°They can¡¯t go with us, and we can¡¯t leave them here.¡± ¡°Wait, us?¡± Robert¡¯s brow scrunched as he walked back over to the group. ¡°You¡¯re going to split the party?¡± ¡°If we wait here, then they¡¯ll swarm us.¡± Penelope pointed at the three doors. ¡°We can¡¯t defend all three of those and if there is a Caster in this square, it can just pick us off, especially if their groups start working together¡­¡± She held up her hand as she walked over to the doorways and peeked inside. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Robert followed behind her. ¡°Light Torrent!¡± With four more balls of light, she was able to see even more. Jeru, can we get more people in here? There¡¯s no way I can clear the square by myself. ¡°The barrier can only be permeated by one team every 528 feet.¡± The blue Elf looked around the empty room in front of her. ¡°This one¡¯s clear.¡± ¡°I¡¯m checking the rooms to see if there¡¯s somewhere more defensible.¡± Penelope pointed at the three openings on the other side of the 80-foot wide by 170-foot long room. ¡°The opening on the left leads into the other room, and the one on the right looks like it goes back to the walkway.¡± She walked deeper into the stone room, keeping her near the openings. ¡°Four doors here are going to be ever harder to defend.¡± Robert stayed closer to the door on the eastern side that they¡¯d walked through. ¡°We can¡¯t stay here¡­¡± Penelope walked over to the opening on her left and sent her lights into the empty room. The stone floor was uneven but smooth enough that she could tell nothing was hiding in the square room. ¡°150 by 150 with only two doors.¡± She moved to the middle of the room to make sure that there wasn¡¯t a door on any of the other three walls. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. WHOOSH¡­SCREECH The blast of air wasn¡¯t completely unexpected, but it was uncomfortable. The air itself had a cold bite, and the noise was as bad as nails on a chalkboard. Penelope rubbed her jaw. ¡°I need some ear plugs.¡± ¡°That¡¯s actually a passive you might get." Jeru shook his head. ¡°No, you¡¯re light-based. is an air-based passive.¡± ¡°What did you say!?¡± Robert yelled as he caught up to her. ¡°Just talking to myself.¡± Penelope looked over at the older man and swallowed. ¡°I need you to stay with the other group.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going alone?¡± The muscular man flexed. ¡°Don¡¯t you trust me to protect you?¡± ¡°No.¡± Penelope headed towards the entrance closer to the base camp. ¡°Your Power is eight, but that wasn¡¯t what increased when you leveled. Since you¡¯re a Caster class, Power is useless to you right now, and of the two of us, I¡¯m the better Caster.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± He grabbed her shoulder from behind. ¡°Don¡¯t walk away from me!¡± She twisted out of his grip and put a few steps between them. ¡°You might be stronger than me, but I¡¯m faster, and I¡¯ve got my spells.¡± Penelope pointed her wand at him. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me again.¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± Robert held up his hands. ¡°I was just trying to talk to you.¡± ¡°You can talk to me without putting your hands on me.¡± Penelope turned back towards the door. Jeru, watch him, please. ¡°A please?¡± The parasite inside her gushed. ¡°Hey! Why are you calling me a parasite again?¡± You¡¯re my parasite. Penelope made it to the doorway and had to slide over the jiggly body of the Wulf. ¡°Until you decide to give up.¡± Disappointment laced his words. I¡¯m not giving up, so stop thinking about that. Penelope frowned when she looked at Marlow. The graying Healer had helped Bradley out of most of the armor the other man was wearing. The metal equipment lay scattered on the floor. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Penelope moved a few more steps to her left to give Robert plenty of room as he tried to jump over the pile of pudding. The older man¡¯s foot caught on the corpse, and he almost face-planted on the stone floor. He managed to shift to his side but took the brunt of the fall on his right shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m okay!¡± Robert scrambled to get to his feet. Green light covered his arm as Marlow pointed at the other man. ¡°At this rate, I¡¯m going to have to take a potion.¡± He narrowed his gaze. ¡°Please don¡¯t hurt yourself if you don¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°I was fine!¡± Robert swung his arm while clenching his jaw. ¡°See? No need for healing!¡± ¡°The spell won¡¯t activate if there¡¯s not a wound.¡± Marlow dismissed the light with a wave of his hand. He turned his attention to Penelope. ¡°I heard a yell. Is everything okay?¡± ¡°We¡¯re fine.¡± Penelope cut in before Robert could answer. ¡°Just ironing out the chain of command.¡± She nodded at the armor. ¡°What¡¯s up with this?¡± ¡°The armor made him feel like he was still being crushed. I thought it wouldn¡¯t hurt for him to take it off for a bit.¡± ¡°There¡¯s still at least one monster out there, and there would be eighteen more besides that.¡± Penelope motioned at the man standing a few feet away from her. ¡°Robert is going to help you move Kent and Whitney back to the entrance.¡± ¡°Why does this sound like you¡¯re doing something foolish?¡± Marlow stood up and motioned at the others. ¡°You have a party now; you need to use them.¡± ¡°Our options are to hunker down and wait for the Demons to come to us or for me to try to find a way to the other entrance and bring another group back here.¡± ¡°Wait, you think that a second group can get in here?¡± Marlow eyed her. ¡°Careful¡­¡± Jeru didn¡¯t have to repeat the warning of just how distrustful the humans could become. ¡°The squares are twice as long and twice as wide.¡± Penelope pointed to her left, towards where they¡¯d entered the square. ¡°So it stands to reason that twice as many people would be able to get in.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t they just come in the same place we did?¡± Robert crossed his arms. ¡°Two entrances.¡± Penelope kept her focus on the man she was more familiar with. ¡°Each one of the squares off the safe zone had two entrances.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not how that works, but hey! You¡¯re right.¡± Jeru smirked. ¡°You got lucky.¡± The men looked at each other. Marlow shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t notice that. Good catch.¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°So you¡¯re going to go get four more level ones?¡± ¡°No.¡± Penelope had a feeling that what she was about to say wasn¡¯t going to go over well. ¡°I¡¯m going to get Freddy.¡± Book 2 - Chapter 7 They didn¡¯t like being left behind. Penelope pushed the guilt out of her mind as she took off down the tunnel. If the monsters came for them, they¡¯d be sitting ducks, but this run was already a bust. Her goal now was to get as much of the floor explored as she could. ¡°What happens when you reach the other entrance and Freddy¡¯s team isn¡¯t here yet?¡± Jeru floated in front of her as she jogged towards the crossroad. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have more time to explore until she does.¡± Penelope kept the four in front of her as she took a sharp right. As soon as she could see down the right tunnel, she sent two to the projectiles forward, while keeping two in front of her and four from her second cast behind her. ¡°Door on your right, then left.¡± Jeru moved to the end of her spell¡¯s range and pointed to his right as he looked back at her. Penelope pulled one of the balls back and stationed it in the middle of the door on her right as she jogged by. When nothing attacked her, she kept moving towards the 100-foot mark Jeru was keeping. The projectile that had been standing guard swapped with one of the other ones in front of her as that one went to stand in the middle of the other door. ¡°Nothing in here either¡­¡± Jeru shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s a big space and lots of places for things to hide before they jump out and go BOO!¡± Penelope guided one of the balls into the room. It stretched farther to her left and right than she could see by the glow of the single projectile. The wall across from her was well illuminated, with the room only being 30 feet wide. ¡°Exploring is for after I find the other entrance.¡± Penelope reminded herself as she backed out of the opening. ¡°What are you going to do when you reach the other side and they¡¯re not there?¡± Jeru tilted his head. ¡°Double back and explore where that room goes.¡± Penelope pointed her thumb at the opening closer to the safe zone. If I didn¡¯t have to relive that funeral, I¡¯d just keep resetting until I had the square mapped out. Jeru eyed her, the gaze of his black eyes building the discomfort she felt the longer he stared at her. ¡°You¡¯re running.¡± Jeru finally looked away as they reached the end of the tunnel. Penelope looked left and right at the two tunnels branching off. While the left path led into darkness, the right one ended at the glowing barrier. She hesitated for a moment, then pushed a pair of projectiles into the room that her path deadended into. ¡°They don¡¯t want me to lead them.¡± Penelope struggled to contain the fear bubbling inside her. ¡°I had one person who I felt like I might be able to talk to. One person who saw me for what I am, and they¡¯re gone.¡± She clenched her fist as a shiver ran through her. ¡°You¡¯re spiraling.¡± Jeru vanished as his voice transitioned to her mind. ¡°It¡¯s okay to grieve for the ones we lost. That timer forces you to keep moving forward and doesn¡¯t give people much time to process what¡¯s happened before the next threat rears its head.¡± Penelope closed her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m just alone. Everyone wants me to be something that I¡¯m not or to not be something that I am.¡± ¡°You still have me.¡± The sensation of a gentle hug wrapped around her arms. A lone tear rolled down Penelope¡¯s cheek as she hugged herself. Her heart was still thundering in her ears, and the crushing weight of expectations was still suffocating her, but there was a little ray of hope in the middle of the storm raging around her. Thanks. ¡°I¡¯d say you could stay like this for as long as you need, but I¡¯ve seen movement in that room.¡± Jeru reappeared inside the room. ¡°Send me a light.¡± A numb tingle played on Penelope¡¯s fingers as she moved four of the deeper into the room. ¡°There¡¯s definitely something in here, but I can¡¯t see what it is until you walk in.¡± Jeru looked over at his host. ¡°They haven¡¯t attacked yet, so you can still walk away.¡± No. I need this. Penelope pulled the two balls from the left and right tunnels into her left palm and walked into the room. The room was huge. The light from her four projectiles wasn''t enough to show her the edge of any of the walls. Eight was the most that she could handle at the moment, and with the two that were hovering in the door, that left her only six that she could play with. There was too much space in the room for her to be able to illuminate. She sent one of the ones in her hand to fan out with the others. Spacing the projectiles every forty feet gave her enough light to know that there wasn¡¯t anything close, but she also had to spread the in a semicircle in front of her, which gave her less visibility than her maximum range. Scritch, scritch Penelope took a few timid steps deeper into the room. ¡°I know you¡¯re in here!¡± She scanned the shadows. ¡°I can hear the Wulf¡¯s claws scratching the floor!¡± An pierced the on her left. ¡°It¡¯s a Caster!¡± Jeru flew to where the projectile had been canceled. ¡°Get the light off of you!¡± If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. A pair of finger-sized frozen projectiles bounced off her chest. ¡°Ugh!¡± Peneleope threw the spell in her hand to the left and pushed the five remaining balls out as far as they could reach. She sprinted forward as she spaced out and rotated the hovering balls. Once she was deep enough into the room, she had to pull the two balls off of the doorway. Three of the balls of light winked out as the Shadow Caster sniped them. Can you tell where it¡¯s at? Penelope couldn¡¯t see where she was going, but the floor was flat, even though it was very uneven. And long as she kept her steps small, she wasn¡¯t going to stumble because of a divot or mound on the floor. ¡°It¡¯s on the west side somewhere, but there are monsters behind you!¡± Jeru pointed east, towards the safe zone. ¡°This room has to be at least 350 feet wide!¡± A fan of sliced across her face. The she was wearing left her face exposed, though it provided a little protection to the back of her head. The sharp projectiles cut her cheeks, but none of them lodged in her skin. Fine. You want to play hide-and-go-seek? Penelope faced the doorway and pointed her wand at the opening. Hide from this! ¡°LIGHT BEAM!¡± The stream of light shot out to its max range of 100-feet. Penelope twisted to her right, dragging the beam of light as she ran forward. The spell only illuminated 20 feet on either side of the beam, but a large portion of the room was lit up as Penelope whipped her wand back and forth. blasted towards her as the shadowy form of the Demon in charge retreated into the shadows. ¡°Gotcha!¡± Penelope ignored the extra cuts as she cancelled the beam and ran towards the western wall. She recast and sent all of the in that direction.The Shadow Caster roared as the floor mechanic triggered. WHOOSH¡­SCREECH Penelope saw the other wall and the door the Demon was running for. ¡°TORNADO ALLEY!¡± Penelope sacrificed two of her so she could create twin twisters to bar the door. The Demon hissed as it angled away from the barrier. Ice cracked as it slammed its fist into the ground. The stone froze over in an area a 100 feet around the Shadow Caster, sending ice under Penelope¡¯s feet. Penelope slipped on the slick surface, sliding across the floor until she hit the wall. She kept her wand in her hand and used the rough surface of the wall to steady herself as the barrage of peppered her. ¡°Incoming.¡± The three-foot-tall bug creatures sliding across the ice towards her were hairy, unlike the other bug types, which had all had chitin covering them. The Wigon, as their nameplate read, also has rows of sharp teeth in their mouths instead of mandibles. Their spindly legs were still insect-like, despite also being covered in short, gray hair. Their thorax was bare, almost like it was still in the larva stage. ¡°LIGHT BLAST!¡± Penelope triggered her AoE spell in a cone in front of her. The first hit slowed the monsters, so she blasted the trio twice more. Ding! Experience +6 Experience +6 Experience +6 The corpses slowed down enough that they only bumped into her, but that didn¡¯t stop the pair of Chums that jumped on the bodies and then flew at her. The blue-feathered avian bipeds snapped their toothy beaks with the clawed hands at the end of their wings outstretched. ¡°LIGHT BLAST!¡± The wave of light did little to stop their charge. Penelope bent over, tucked her head between her knees, and covered her head with her arms. ¡°LIGHT BURST! LIGHT BURST!¡± The impact drove the air out of her lungs, leaving her choking and gasping for breath under the corpses. Ding! Experience +6 Experience +6 Her fingers shivered as Penelope reached into the side pocket of her silver robe and pulled out a . The spicy liquid burned her throat, but it also pushed away some of the chill that the ice under her as well as the that were bouncing off her robe. Penelope slipped while she wiggled her way out from under the feathered corpses. She was glad to see the Demon standing just out of range, its glowing blue eyes making it easy to see under the lone hovering by the ceiling just in front of it. The sluggish way her thoughts were moving let her know that she was getting low on mana, so she drank a as well. The cool, minty liquid drawing another shiver out of her as the cold replaced the warmth she¡¯d felt moments ago. Penelope pointed her wand at the grinning Demon. ¡°Now it¡¯s just you and me.¡± ¡°NO.¡± The Demon pointed at the doorway she had entered from. A Shadow Knight walked into the light. Four Wulfs padded in front of them, the flabby creatures growled as they stared at her with hungry eyes. ¡°No more playing.¡± The Shadow Knight growled as it pointed its short sword at her and raised its shield. ¡°Now you die.¡± Penelope cast twice. The second cast canceled the one overhead, but with the eight balls and their echos floating waist-high around Penelope in a ring, the sudden lack of the one she¡¯d been using as lighting didn¡¯t diminish how far she could see. A pair of her main shot at the closest three Wulfs. Penelope was so focused on getting in position to use on the other Caster that she almost didn¡¯t notice the pull on her projectiles. The mental command was ripped out of her control, and the projectiles slammed into the Shadow Knight¡¯s shield. Without any spells in between them, the lesser Demons attacked. ¡°LIGHT BLAST!¡± Penelope turned her attention back to the charging monsters. ¡°LIGHT¡ª¡± A ball of ice hit her in the back of the head. The impact knocked her forward, dropping her to all fours as she slapped her palms on the frozen floor to catch herself. ¡°LIGHT BURST!¡± Ding! Experience +6 Experience +6 Experience +6 Dead monsters didn¡¯t stop moving, and on ice, their momentum was a certainty. The three corpses slammed into her, sliding her the rest of the way into the wall. Her fingers clawed under the flabby yellowish monster as Penelope tried to find her wand. A low growl alerted her that she hadn¡¯t got them all. Penelope looked up to see sharp teeth brushing by her cheek. Her scream died in her throat as the fourth Wulf crushed her windpipe. There was a tug, then blinding light. Book 2 - Chapter 8 The Cabbit Demon¡¯s head hit her in the forehead. There was too much blood on her face to see, but she heard it hit the concrete on her left after it rolled off. Penelope wiped the blood out of her eyes with her right hand, but her left was stuck under the Demon¡¯s corpse. She looked up at the triumphant blonde woman standing over her. ¡°Told you that you weren¡¯t going to like this save.¡± Jeru sat next to her as Frederica knelt down and pulled out a Healing Potion. ¡°I¡¯ve got you, Penny.¡± Federica tipped the vial to Penelope¡¯s lips. The spicy liquid was mixing with the metalic, oily blood running over her. ¡°Thanks.¡± Penelope coughed. ¡°I¡¯m good now.¡± ¡°That should have been the last one.¡± Frederica looked around at the courtyard that had been their battlefield. They were the only two people alive. ¡°Can you push it to the side so I can slide out?¡± Penelope strained to slide out from under the heavy corpse. ¡°I got you.¡± Frederica grabbed the Cabbit¡¯s right arm and pulled it towards her. The fulcrum allowed the slender woman to pivot the large body off of Penelope. 400lbs of dead Demon rolled over Penelope, but at least she was free. She dusted herself off as she stood. ¡°We need to tell Patrick that¡­¡± ¡°OAKEY!!!¡± Frederica didn¡¯t wait for Penelope to finish; instead, the blonde ran into the cleared Dungeon. Penelope didn¡¯t bother to finish her sentence. Instead, she gathered the necklace off the ground. It was a named item, but not one that she could use. A pit formed in her stomach as she looked at the alley where she knew Ula had died. If she was going to repeat the last run, she needed to go down the alley and talk to Derek, but she couldn¡¯t force her feet to move in that direction. Instead, she followed Frederica into the Dungeon. Oakley was propped up in the older woman¡¯s lap. Frederica ran her fingers through the younger man¡¯s brown hair as she cooed soft words at him. Marlow dusted off his hands as he stood up. Patrick lay in front of him. The other Tank had taken a beating, but he¡¯d survive after a good night¡¯s sleep. The healing magic would leave him ravenous once he woke up, but it accelerated the healing by weeks. ¡°They¡¯re going to make it.¡± The graying man looked around Penelope at the opening. ¡°Ula and Dawson?¡± Penelope had to close her eyes to keep the tears from falling as she shook her head. ¡°The party menu.¡± Jeru prompted. Penelope wiped the tears out of her eyes with her dirty hands. I need to get that water ring from Judah. A lump formed in her throat as she opened her menu and found the tab. Sure enough, it had both Ula and Judah listed as deceased. ¡°Ula didn¡¯t make it.¡± Penelope motioned at the air in front of her. ¡°The menu says..." She shook her head and swallowed, but that didn¡¯t make the lump go away. ¡°It says she didn¡¯t make it.¡± Her sorrow turned to anger as the party menu displayed the latest change. Dawson has left the party. ¡°And he¡¯s teamed up with Derek." Jeru clicked his tongue. ¡°You need to be careful of those two. They¡¯ve done some pretty awful things in other runs.¡± Like? Penelope desperately wanted anything that would distract her from having to talk about Ula. ¡°Dawson is a complicated character. Sometimes he¡¯s a big help, and other times he plays for a different side.¡± Jeru appeared in front of her. ¡°But Frederica is like that too, so who knows how this will shake out.¡± ¡°Ula¡¯s¡­¡± Frederica¡¯s shoulders sagged as she cradled Oakley. ¡°But¡­¡± Marlow looked at Penlope. The grief on his face mixed with an ember of hope as he cleared his throat. ¡°That means you¡¯re in charge now.¡± Penelope cut him off. She closed her eyes as the older woman looked at her. ¡°Without Ula, you¡¯re the only one strong enough to lead us.¡± ¡°I know, but¡ª¡± ¡°I can¡¯t lead.¡± Penelope opened her eyes and looked at her feet. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Metal scraped against the stone floor as Frederica stood up and walked over to the younger woman. Frederica took Penelope¡¯s left hand between both of hers. ¡°You¡¯re stronger than you know.¡± The older woman¡¯s words were soft, without the usual edge. ¡°I can¡¯t do this without you.¡± Frederica turned to look at the three men. ¡°I¡¯m going to need all of you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can.¡± Marlow motioned at the two unconscious men. ¡°And you know both of them will follow you into Hell.¡± Penelope nodded. ¡°I know we¡¯re going to have to level other people, but I think we need to stay together as much as we can.¡± She took a step back, pulling her hand away. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Frederica cooed. ¡°Ula told me about your condition and gave me some pointers on how to deal with you.¡± Penelope swallowed and tried not to be offended by the way that Frederica had worded her assurance. ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ve got the ring from the wolf thing.¡± Frederica reached into her pocket and pulled out the golden band. ¡°It¡¯s Magic and Aura. You want it?¡± Penelope hesitated as she reached for the item. This didn¡¯t happen last time. ¡°You changed how you did things.¡± Jeru coughed. ¡°Ula lost her armor.¡± Penelope froze mid-motion as icy fear chilled her to the bone. Her heart made a grinding noise as her body attempted to process the anguish she was experiencing. ¡°Someone¡¯s looting Ula.¡± She left the ring in Frederica¡¯s hand and spun on her heel, sprinting for the entrance. Frederica was faster and knew . The blonde woman reached the doorway before Penelope could run 300 feet. The next thousand went by in a blur, though she wasn¡¯t able to see what was going on outside the Dungeon. Once she reached the surface, Penelope turned left, heading down the alley that led to the Star Tower, the tallest and largest building on campus. ¡°It¡¯s where the Atrey family studied time magic.¡± Jeru offered. ¡°They were a powerful family once upon a time.¡± I don¡¯t have time for a history lesson! Each breath Penelope took felt like she was inhaling ice. Rage warmed her a little as she reached the scene. This time, Ula was laid out on the ground. The kind woman had a hole in her chest where the Scorb Demon had stabbed her. The chest armor was bent back as the hole had been widened to remove the protection. Her metal boots, leg guards, gauntlets, and helmet were all missing, leaving the mid-fifty-year-old woman in nothing but a pair of shorts along with the destroyed chestpiece. Someone had at least closed her eyes, so it looked like she was sleeping. ¡°PENNY!¡± Frederica¡¯s scream grabbed Penelope¡¯s attention away from their dead friend. ¡°They¡¯re going into the tower!¡± Penelope looked past where the blonde had a large man pinned in the short grass between the buildings. At the base of the three-story building, a blond man in a red shirt glared at the two of them. Ula¡¯s armor was piled in his hands, which he threw inside the building before stepping away from the door and drawing his arm like he was holding a bow. ¡°LIGHT TORRENT!!!¡± Penelope summoned her spell, not that she was close enough for it to hit the archer. Derek Chapman dropped his arm, and at the same time, an arrow of electricity formed between his two hands. The skill dissipated as he stepped inside the building, slamming the door behind him. ¡°Don¡¯t shoot the tower!¡± Jeru appeared in front of her, stopping the impending barrage. ¡°You¡¯ll set off the alarms!¡± Penelope looked at the wand in her hand. I don¡¯t even remember drawing it. She shook her head as she turned to the older woman, who was having no trouble restraining the larger man on the ground. Dread ran through her as she recognized the dragon tattoo on his arm. ¡°Let go of me, you¡ª¡± A right hook knocked him out. Frederica patted the unconscious man¡¯s cheek, then looked up at Penelope. ¡°He had that coming. You should have heard what he called me before you got here.¡± Penelope shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s a drama queen.¡± ¡°You know him?¡± Frederica brushed off her hands as she stood up. ¡°He starts next to me when we got summoned.¡± Penelope looked down at the bald man. ¡°He screams at me when he bumps into me.¡± ¡°Ri-i-ight.¡± Frederica pulled out one of her daggers. ¡°He¡¯s lucky I hit him with the butt instead of the blade, but I want to know which one of them did that.¡± She motioned back to where Ula¡¯s body lay. ¡°They took the item too.¡± ¡°You need to reset this one.¡± Jeru tried to move in front of Frederica, but the woman walked through him like he wasn¡¯t there. Which he technically wasn¡¯t since he was only in Penelope¡¯s head. ¡°Hey, I can move around a little!¡± The blue Elf protested. But you can¡¯t interact with anything but me. Penelope jogged to catch up to Frederica. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to bust in there and drag that disrespectful twerp out by his ear and get Ula¡¯s gear back!¡± Frederica grabbed the metal bar on the solid yellow door and yanked. The door didn''t budge. ¡°I don¡¯t think¡ª¡± Alarms blared as Frederica plunged her dagger into the control panel next to the door. ¡°HA!¡± The blonde grinned as the door slid open. She turned to look at Penelope. ¡°Coming?¡± ¡°You need to reset this.¡± Jeru growled. ¡°I know you want to see what the Elves are like, but trust me, you¡¯re going to spend the next two weeks locked in a cell with a bunch of other people. We both know you don¡¯t want that!¡± There was a part of Penelope that wanted to experience it for herself, but Jeru was making a good point. Spending two weeks packed in a cell with a bunch of other people would be more agonizing for her than reliving Ula¡¯s death again. Fine. Penelope smiled at Frederica as reality faded into blinding light. Book 2 - Chapter 9 She replayed the beginning of the day the same as she had the first time. Once they reached the safe zone and had their hearts to heart, she walked over to the barrier while the others waited for the rest of the people to show up. ¡°You¡¯re not thinking about going in there alone.¡± Marlow walked up and stopped next to her. ¡°No.¡± Penelope looked over at the rest of their party, then motioned for him to follow her over to the other entrance. She motioned at the tunnel that she¡¯d seen. The darkness made it impossible for her to see the door to the room where she¡¯d died. ¡°Yeah, this isn¡¯t regular darkness.¡± Jeru motioned toward the middle of the safe zone. ¡°But, as you can see, the safezone is well lit, so once you beat the square, the lighting situation should improve.¡± Not helpful right now. Penelope filed the information away. At least there was a way that she¡¯d be able to tell when the square was cleared. On the first floor, it had been easy to see the barrier come down. ¡°Whatcha doin¡¯?¡± A short young woman walked over. The nameplate over her head listed her as Circe Scofield. The brown-haired woman smiled as she bounced when she stopped. ¡°Thinking¡­¡± Penelope glanced over at the younger woman. Most of the displaced people were older than her, but this woman was 18, the youngest age that had been taken. ¡°You¡¯re part of the third group?¡± ¡°Pat sent me in with the second group since I couldn¡¯t carry much.¡± Circe flexed her right arm. ¡°I have to carry babies all day. I could lug around as much as the men.¡± She shrugged. ¡°But it¡¯s okay. It gives me a chance to talk to you.¡± Penelope blinked. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You¡¯re like a superhero!¡± Circe bubbled; her brown eyes sparkled as she failed to contain her excitement. ¡°You were like ICE! WIND! FIRE!¡± She twirled. ¡°Then you went blam, ka-pow!¡± Penelope shook her head. ¡°Freddy was the one who killed it; I only helped her.¡± ¡°You did a lot more than that!¡± Circe looked into the square in front of them. ¡°Is this where you¡¯re going in?¡± Penelope looked at Marlow, then glanced at the rest of her team, who were busy setting up tents after the latest air blast had knocked them down. ¡°I wanted to test something. Circe, since you¡¯re not in my party, do you want to help?¡± ¡°You know my name?!?¡± The younger woman let out a squeal as she grabbed Marlow¡¯s hands. ¡°She knows my name!¡± ¡°There you go, using system information that no one else has.¡± Jeru chided her. The others know about my ability. Penelope took a step back. ¡°Except you don¡¯t actually have it. What happens when someone sees your list of skills?¡± Can¡¯t you give it to me? Penelope smiled when the younger woman looked at her. ¡°What do you need? I¡¯m up for anything!¡± ¡°Yes, she¡¯s coming on strong, but that¡¯s the type of person she is. Always eager to help.¡± Jeru grumbled. ¡°And no, I can¡¯t just give you skills; otherwise, I would have handed out a butt ton of them to the first guy!¡± ¡°On the first floor, if a party was in a square, then another party couldn¡¯t go in.¡± Penelope nodded at the tunnel closer to the portal. ¡°I¡¯m going to stick my arm in, then I want you to try to stick your arm in that opening. If you can, then it¡¯ll mean that two teams can go into a square at the same time.¡± ¡°What makes you think that these are the same room?¡± Marlow scrunched his brow. ¡°And why would you think that two teams can go in?¡± A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Penelope stuck her arm through the light. ¡°Here, Circe, try to touch my hand, but don¡¯t go all the way inside.¡± ¡°If she goes over halfway in, she can¡¯t come back out.¡± Jeru offered as he floated through the barrier. ¡°Smart way to let the others know that you can take two teams into a zone.¡± No one else has done it this way? Penelope watched the younger woman¡¯s hand bounce off of the barrier. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± A frown crossed Circe¡¯s face. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s what happened on the first floor.¡± Penelope nodded at the man beside her. ¡°Marlow, would you?¡± The older man stuck his hand through the barrier. Penelope pulled her arm out when he reached for her. ¡°Sorry.¡± Marlow pulled his hand out and took a step back. ¡°I thought¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Penelope rubbed her hand, then stuck her right arm back through the barrier. ¡°We know that people in the same party can go through the barrier, so now I need you to check the other opening.¡± ¡°On it!¡± The energetic woman ran over to the other opening a little over five hundred feet away. When she reached the opening, she paused and looked back at Penelope. Penelope gave the other woman a thumbs up, which drew a large smile. Circe stuck her arm through the barrier, then jumped in place before running back. ¡°It worked! It worked!¡± The excited woman wrapped her arms around Penelope and bounced. ¡°That was so cool!¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Penelope untangled herself. ¡°This means that we need to wait for Freddy to get down here, then both groups can tackle the square together. ¡°Why wait?¡± Circe shrunched her brow. ¡°Look at the Dungeon.¡± Penelope turned and pointed at the next column. ¡°The squares are twice as long and twice as wide as they were on the first floor. That means there are either four times as many monsters in there, or whatever is in there could be four times as powerful.¡± She looked at Marlow. ¡°That makes sense, right?¡± Marlow nodded. ¡°It makes sense to me. Honestly, I was worried that we¡¯d start losing people. We were level ten and still had a few times where we almost lost someone.¡± ¡°But how do you know that these two tunnels will go to the same place?¡± Circe frowned. ¡°I¡ª¡± ¡°DON¡¯T.¡± Jeru interrupted what she¡¯d been about to admit. ¡°You don¡¯t know that they meet up.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Penelope shrugged. ¡°But if we have all our level tens go into the same square, then we¡¯ll have a better chance of the lower-leveled people surviving.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t there five of you?¡¯ Circe glanced back at the portal as the first group of four from Freddy¡¯s party entered the Dungeon. ¡°Dawson isn¡¯t one of us anymore.¡± Penelope clenched her jaw. ¡°He ran during the boss fight. We might not have¡­¡± A tear rolled down her cheek as the image of Ula¡¯s body in the alley flashed in her mind. ¡°Oh, some of the others were talking about how he joined up with the people at the Star Tower, and I thought they might be joining us.¡± Penelope wiped the tear away. ¡°No one from the Star Tower volunteered when Frederica tried to get people to come down here.¡± She motioned at the group. ¡°So no, we¡¯re not joining the star tower.¡± ¡°Cool! I never liked those guys anyway.¡± Circe tugged on the bow slung over her shoulder. ¡°So I know you don¡¯t really know me, and you¡¯ve already picked the teams, but I was kind of hoping that you might let me come with you?¡± She tapped her index fingers together. ¡°Or maybe you could teach me how to fight while we wait on Miss Riddle to get here?¡± Miss Riddle? Penelope snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t call her that. Just Frederica is fine.¡± ¡°But she¡¯s older than my mom!¡± Penelope looked over at Marlow for help. ¡°Freddy likes to think she¡¯s younger than she looks. Just humor her.¡± Marlow put his arm on the teen¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re an adult now, and that means that it¡¯s okay to call some other adults by their first name.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Circe grinned. ¡°Should I call you Marlow?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with that.¡± The older man took a step back and turned to Penelope. ¡°It might not be a bad idea to get the level ones started on some form of training. We don¡¯t want another Judah episode.¡± ¡°Judah episode?¡± Circe wrinkled her brow. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°He missed and burned off Freddy¡¯s hair.¡± Penelope sighed. ¡°You¡¯re right. I can probably use my spells to give the ranged attackers something to shoot at.¡± She looked around. ¡°But I don¡¯t know how to help the melle attackers or the healers.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure someone has some fighting experience.¡± Marlow turned towards the gorup. ¡°I¡¯ll go talk to them.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Penelope watched the older man walk away. He did that for me, didn¡¯t he? ¡°He can be sweet sometimes.¡± Jeru agreed. He chuckled. ¡°I wish I had popcorn. Watching you try to teach someone is going to be entertaining.¡± I was hoping you¡¯d have some tips. Penelope smiled as her parasite went silent. Fine, be that way. She turned to the younger woman. ¡°Let¡¯s see about getting you some targets to shoot.¡± Book 2 - Chapter 10 The ranged attackers fired at for the rest of the evening. Six of the twelve people assigned to Penelope¡¯s team had been ranged attackers, while Frederica had put none in her group. Since Penelope was only focusing on the ranged attackers, this gave Marlow the bulk of the responsibility of the other people. The composition of the four level ones was a Caster, Archer, melee attacker, and Tank for Penelope. Frederica¡¯s groups were composed of a Buffer, Debuffer, melee attacker, and Healer. There wasn¡¯t a lot for the Buffers and Debuffers to do, so they were put on camp building duty while the melee attackers sparred with the Tanks. The Healers made sure everyone in the melee group stayed healthy since they were using swords, axes, and hammers and not just sticks. They worked for almost two hours, with whoever ran out of mana or stamina taking a break to regenerate until they filled back up. Once people had to sit down, Penelope was able to give more targets to more people. She regenerated mana much faster than anyone else, and their accuracy wasn¡¯t good enough to drop her below 65 mana. It also helped that this wasn¡¯t considered combat so her mana regeneration wasn¡¯t halved. When Frederica entered the Dungeon, it was past eight, and most of the people were ready to stop for the night. Penelope had a pretty good idea of the capabilities of her ranged attackers at that point. Circe and Abel were the best of their respective classes, though for Abel, that wasn¡¯t saying much. The contrary miner¡¯s spell was , which had almost 100% accuracy, even though it took 17 minutes for his spell to break a single . The younger woman had been in her school¡¯s archery club, so she was already competent with a bow. Her Recovery was at 8, giving her the same fastest mana regeneration as Abel. When she wasn¡¯t casting , she fired regular arrows, which allowed her the most practice time of anyone. Benedict was the other Caster besides Robert. He was in his late 40s, which gave him the good-ole-boy vibe and let him fit in with the rest of the men well. The two men weren¡¯t bad at casting, but the moment that Penelope moved her spells instead of letting them hover in place, neither could hit anything. Whitney had a spell, which drained her mana fast. She was a lot worse with physical arrows than with the spell and quickly gave up on using them. Julian Williams, the last of the ranged attackers, was a mechanic in his early forties. His colorful use of language as well as his temper when he didn¡¯t land a shot quickly earned him a trip to work with the camp group. With a gauge of how well they could perform, Penelope felt that the evening had been productive as she canceled her spells when the older woman marched over to her. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Frederica motioned at the row of ranged attackers. ¡°Why isn¡¯t anyone fighting?¡± ¡°I was making sure that they could use their skills.¡± Penelope turned to the group. ¡°Circe and Robert, rest up. We¡¯re going to head into the square in a little bit. The rest of you, go ahead and take a break.¡± Whitney looked relieved at being replaced and hurried over to where the main group was putting up the last of the tents. ¡°I thought I told you to start once you got down here.¡± Frederica growled as soon as the others were out of earshot. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to subvert my authority so soon.¡± Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°The Dungeon wasn¡¯t what we thought.¡± Penelope pointed at the barrier behind her. ¡°The squares are twice as big, meaning there are four times as many monsters in there.¡± She pointed at the two entrances. ¡°There are two ways in, and I¡¯ve already confirmed that we can get two groups in there.¡± She turned back to the woman in charge. ¡°The level ones aren¡¯t going to be helpful for a while, and if I have to take on twenty-four monsters by myself..." She let the implications hang between them. ¡°Fine.¡± Frederica sighed. ¡°What¡¯s your plan then?¡± ¡°Both of us head in, then try to meet up in the middle.¡± Penelope paused as she realized there was a problem. ¡°Um, it¡¯s really dark in there. You¡¯ll either need someone who can create light or torches.¡± WHOOSH¡­SCREECH Frederica put her hands over her ears. Once the noise died, she looked at Penelope. ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°A floor mechanic.¡± Penelope shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think torches are going to work.¡± ¡°How often does it do that?¡± Frederica glanced over at the tents. The last one that the group had been working on was knocked over because it hadn¡¯t been secured in time. ¡°About every ten minutes.¡± Penelope opened her menu. ¡°Fire will work, but light or electric would probably be best.¡± Whitney had electric affinity, but the Archer¡¯s only skill at the moment was . It consumed Mana, and considering the older woman¡¯s stats were mostly physical, she ran out of Mana fast and took a long time to regenerate what she spent. Kent was the only person in her group with a fire affinity, but his skill was a simple , which wouldn¡¯t help with the light issue. ¡°I don¡¯t have anyone who can produce light. My Casters are earth, ice, and poison.¡± Penelope looked at the group¡¯s leader. ¡°Do you have anyone?¡± ¡°Eldri is light and has a skill. I don¡¯t know how well she can use it.¡± Frederica groaned. ¡°Of course Jughead would die before we get to the floor where he¡¯d be useful.¡± Penelope thought about correcting her but swallowed the remark. ¡°Probably for the best.¡± Jeru agreed in her mind. ¡°No reason to antagonize her.¡± I just wish she paid more attention! The way she messes up our names makes me feel like she doesn¡¯t want to see us. Penelope complained internally. ¡°She¡¯s just bad with names. It helps her to give people nicknames so she can keep track of them.¡± Jeru sighed as he picked up on Penelope¡¯s inner irritation. ¡°I¡¯m not saying that she couldn¡¯t do better, just letting you know her process.¡± Penelope filed that information away for later. ¡°With the squares being bigger, a maze, and there being more monsters, do you want to start tonight or wait until morning?¡± ¡°How much time do we have for each room if we only have one group?¡± Frederica waited while Penelope did the math. ¡°If we let people have 8 hours to sleep, that¡¯s just over 2 hours per square.¡± Penelope tugged at her red ponytail. ¡°I know we¡¯ll have more than one group eventually, but I think we should start now so we can get a better idea of what we need to expect.¡± ¡°Get your team together and we¡¯ll head out.¡± Frederica looked at the portal to her left. ¡°Patrick isn¡¯t going to come down here until tomorrow or the next day.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I was hoping to have more cleared by the time he got here.¡± ¡°We can have the backup group work on bringing the monsters to rooms just for processing.¡± Penelope pointed at the tunnel. ¡°There has to be lots of rooms in there.¡± ¡°How are we going to do this?¡± Frederica looked at Penelope. ¡°Clear the rooms as we get to them, or focus on the tunnels and leave monsters behind us?¡± ¡°The sooner we meet up, the stronger we¡¯ll be.¡± Penelope tapped on the wand at her hip. ¡°I can provide light for all of us, and the level ones can keep an eye out for more monsters while we fight.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± Frederica gestured at the tunnel. ¡°I¡¯ll see you in there.¡± Penelope watched the older woman walk away, then closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves. Okay. I¡¯m ready to do this. Book 2 - Chapter 11 The tunnel was too quiet. Bradley led the group down the tunnel, with Penelope right behind him. It was later than when she¡¯d started the first run, but this time, she had an idea of where the monsters were. She wanted to get her group to the intersection by the large room where she¡¯d died as fast as possible. Eldri could only cast a single barrier, which was barely enough light for Frederica¡¯s group to follow. The monsters had preferred to fight in the rooms, so Penelope hoped that the slower pace of the other group would allow her to reach them before the potential two groups of enemies could ambush them. ¡°Watch the door.¡± Penelope moved four of her into the doorway of the room they¡¯d entered the first time. She tapped Bradley on the shoulder. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± The nervous blond continued forward. Penelope kept a pair of balls spaced out ahead of them and a pair behind them. The tunnel was free of debris, which helped not to trip over anything because there was a lack of light around the group once she left her second spell to guard the doorway. They reached the first intersection without any trouble. ¡°Which way?¡± Bradley looked at her over his shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re going right.¡± Penelope pointed deeper into the Dungeon. ¡°Watch for rooms, and I¡¯ll keep more lights behind us until we¡¯re all down the hall.¡± ¡°Where are the Demons?¡± Circe held a in one hand with her bow in her left. The younger woman had tried maintaining more than that, but one was the most she could manifest at a time. ¡°Hiding. Waiting to ambush us. Watching.¡± Penelope shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but we need them to stay away until we meet up with the others.¡± She pointed down the tunnel. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going!¡± Bradley shuffled down the tunnel, Kent right behind him. Robert was staying close to Marlow, with Circe never more than an arm¡¯s reach from Penelope. I asked him to stay in the back so we¡¯d have someone who could fight close up! Penelope grumbled to herself. ¡°He knows that you aren¡¯t going to stop the group to get on to him, so he¡¯s taking a chance to test your authority.¡± Jeru floated behind the older man and kicked his foot up through Kent¡¯s armored pants. ¡°Make an example out of him!¡± The blue Elf grinned as he turned back. ¡°If you leave him behind, the others won¡¯t question you one bit from here on out!¡± I¡¯m not killing him to make a point. Penelope shook her head. ¡°What?¡± Circe moved in front of her. Penelope glanced behind them. ¡°We¡¯re not in formation. If we get attacked from behind, there¡¯s no one to protect the Casters.¡± ¡°Your spells are going to do more than I will.¡± Kent fired back. ¡°You should listen to her. She¡¯s killed Demons. What have you done? Broke rocks with your head?¡± Circe snapped. ¡°We don¡¯t have time to argue!¡± Penelope raised her voice, then flinched as she heard the echo. ¡°Door on the left and right!¡± She gathered her spells and split the balls between the two entrances, leaving them with only a single ball in front of them. ¡°Are you even old enough to carry a weapon?¡± Kent stopped to turn around and face the younger woman. ¡°I bet you pee yourself and scream like a girl the first time you see a monster!¡± ¡°I bet you¡ª¡± ¡°ENOUGH!¡± Penelope pulled one of her away from the door. The ball squished, elongating into a three-foot-long spear that spanned the distance between the two arguing members of her team. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°This is not some vacation! We are at war, and there are things around us that are waiting to kill every one of us, so if you can¡¯t stop your bickering, then I¡¯ll just finish you off here before you do something that gets us all killed.¡± Penelope glared at both of them. ¡°Sorry.¡± Circe bowed her head and took a step back, pushing herself up against the wall. ¡°I bet you think you¡¯re so strong since you went into the first floor, but you got lucky.¡± Kent sneered. Penelope moved the spear tip up against his throat, forcing him to push himself up against the wall on the opposite side. With a mere thought, she sliced through the chinstrap holding the hood in place. His eyes bored into her, but she refused to meet his challenge, keeping the spell against his throat. ¡°The other group could be dying, and you¡¯re making some power play?¡± Kent scoffed. ¡°Some leader you are.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, the other group might be dead because we had to stop and deal with your insubordination.¡± Penelope growled as she pulled the spear away and rolled it back into a ball. ¡°You should be old enough to know how to follow orders from someone with more experience. So stop acting like a toddler and listen to someone who¡¯s done this, and maybe you¡¯ll make it out of here alive.¡± Kent pulled himself off the wall; the hood fell off now that it was no longer secured. ¡°Now what am I going to do?¡± He picked up the broken hood, checked it, then threw it on the ground. ¡°This is trash!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get hit.¡± Penelope looked at Bradley. ¡°Keep going. Kent will stay put and bring up the rear.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t forget this.¡± Kent growled as the younger man moved away. Penelope shrugged. ¡°We need people who can follow orders. You¡¯ve proved you can¡¯t, so you¡¯ll be sitting at base once this is over.¡± She eyed the rest of the group. ¡°We¡¯re on a clock and don¡¯t have time for someone who is going to be petty or ignore orders. If you don¡¯t like that, you can sit out too, but¡­¡± She waited a moment. ¡°It was the low-level people near the portal who died first when the bosses got out. If we don¡¯t have enough people to force the fight to stay in the boss room¡­¡± She let the implication of that sink in. ¡°You¡¯re evil.¡± Circe whispered as the pair followed Bradley. A grin crossed her face. ¡°I like it!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just telling him the truth. He volunteered to come down here, and now he wants out. Unfortunately, that means if we fail, he¡¯s going to be one of the first people to die.¡± Penelope shrugged. ¡°Some decisions we can¡¯t take back.¡± ¡°Still, you were a badass back there.¡± Circe held up her arrow. ¡°You have to show me how you changed your spell¡¯s shape.¡± ¡°Once we¡¯re done with this square.¡± Penelope promised. I¡¯m not sure I know how I did that. ¡°Spell shaping is another part of control.¡± Jeru laughed in her mind. ¡°You¡¯re reaching the point where you can manipulate the mana the system is pulling out. You¡¯re still not at the point where you could call it out for yourself, and I doubt you could change into something like , but you¡¯re gaining enough control over the light element that you¡¯ll be able to change the spells of that affinity soon.¡± So you¡¯re saying that if I went back to the beginning, I¡¯d be able to practice with each element until I could master them all? ¡°Whoa!¡± Jeru appeared in front of her and waved his arms. ¡°I never said anything about mastering an element. To do that, you¡¯d have to be able to convert the raw mana into the element you want. You¡¯d also have to be able to increase the intensity of the spell to the point that it gets more powerful without the system doing that for you. You¡¯re still years away from that kind of ability!¡± It was just a thought... The noise of fighting stopped her from continuing that thought. ¡°I told you we wasted time back¡ª¡± ¡°Not now!¡± Penelope pushed past Bradley and dashed down the tunnel, Circe only a step behind her. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Jeru demanded as she ran by the second door on her right without putting in it. If I get ambushed, I¡¯ll know for the reset. Penelope left a pair of behind her and moved the other six closer to her. But if we lose people from Frederica¡¯s group, then this is a reset anyway. Frederica¡¯s group had made it to the intersection. Oakley was pushing back a pair of Wulfs farther down the tunnel, while Eldri strained to hold a barrier over the doorway to the large room. A dark-skinned woman lay dead on the floor, a struggling Wigon leaking green fluid over her, while Frederica stabbed at a second one of the large, hairy, flea-looking bugs. Ding! Experience +3 ¡°PEA!¡± Frederica screamed as she yanked her sword through the bug''s neck, slicing off the lesser Demon¡¯s head. ¡°BEHIND YOU!¡± Penelope turned around and saw the blue-feathered Chom dodge around the pair of that she¡¯d left behind the men. Kent ducked out of the way, leaving nothing in between the monster and Marlow. Book 2 - Chapter 12 Penelope dropped one of her spells on the dying Wigon. Ding! Experience +3 ¡°Circe! Shoot the ones Oakley is holding off!¡± She twisted the pair of , but the monster died before they reached it. Ding! Experience +3 Green light glowed over Marlow as he shoved the dead bird off of him. The crossbow in his hands fell away from the Demon¡¯s chest. The weapon used mana to fire, but that was something Marlow usually had an excess of. While the older man didn¡¯t like shooting into a group, he was competent enough to fire point blank. ¡°I¡¯m good!¡± He scooted back towards the intersection, his left hand pressed against the wound on his chest. The monster had torn through his robe, drilling a shallow hole into Marlow¡¯s chest. ¡°Get the others!¡± The pudgy Wulf bounced as it ran headfirst into the pair of , winking them out on contact. Ding! Experience +3 ¡°Bradley! Get to that door and don¡¯t let anything through!¡± Penelope pushed around the men as she swished her wand in the air. ¡°LIGHT TORRENT!¡± The four complete with their echoes, appeared in front of her. Keeping a pair of the glowing balls above the others so they could see to fight, Penelope ran towards her opponent, vaulting over the corpse of the flabby monster. The tunnel was only seven feet wide, which wasn¡¯t a lot of space to maneuver. Now that there was a fat corpse behind her, she wouldn¡¯t be able to retreat if things went poorly with the Shadow Knight and the rest of its monsters, but they were being attacked by three groups at once. If she didn''t secure this side, this was going to be another reset. The silver-clad Demon moved behind its shield and charged. It still had a pair of bugs somewhere behind it, but that was a problem for future Penelope to worry about. The projectiles moved up as close to the ceiling as she could get them to go over the shield, then she curved them back towards her. The shield blocked her field of view, but the darkness behind the running Demon told her they¡¯d all hit something. Ding! Experience +3 Experience +3 Well, that takes care of the extra monsters. Penelope¡¯s hand slipped as she failed to brace against the flabby corpse behind her. She¡¯d wanted to have something to hold onto when she cast , but the hip-high mound wasn¡¯t a solid backstop. The spiked shield was only a few feet away from her, so she released the spell as she rolled over the corpse. The spell forced the Demon back a few feet. Her ears hummed as the pressure in the tunnel changed. She needed to pop them, but the threat in front of her was more imminent. She released her spell again, this time knocking the Demon back even farther. It braced against the impact, halting its charge as it attempted to weather the spell. I need to focus¡­ Penelope clenched her jaw and focused on condensing the spell. She needed the full might of the twisters, but moving horizontally instead of vertically. As the magic of the spell built in her mind, she focused on how she wanted it to change, holding the spell like she did with her light spells, keeping it charged until she needed it. ¡°TORNADO ALLEY!¡± The blast from the air knocked her over the monster¡¯s soft body to the rough stone floor and rolled her until she hit Marlow. Her ears rang as she blinked away the fog. The experience notification rang, adding to the disorientation, but she waved it away without paying attention as she stretched her jaw to pop her ears. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. The older man hunched over as the stiff wind blew over him. ¡°You okay?¡± He grabbed her left elbow as they both stood up. ¡°Just some road rash.¡± Penelope nodded at the hole in his robe. ¡°You?¡± ¡°Low Heal.¡± Marlow waved his hand over her body. The aches stopped throbbing as the scratches under her silver robe glowed green. ¡°It broke a few ribs, but I¡¯ll make it.¡± The older man swallowed. ¡°Do you need¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got this. You just focus on keeping the Tanks up!¡± Penelope turned back to the prone Demon, struggling to stand up. ¡°HAIL STORM!¡± She bounced over the springy barricade and took off down the tunnel. The ice was harder to manipulate to the point that all she could do was focus it on an area, but that allowed her to build up ice on and around the Demon since most of the spell was focused on a specific area instead of just a general one. ¡°LIGHT TORRENT!¡± The second spell stopped growing ice on and around the Demon, but there was enough built up that the metal-covered monster slipped as it tried to find its footing. WHOOSH¡­SCREECH The blast of air from the middle of the square came from the other side of the Demon. The sudden blast of air combined with the slick surface resulted in the Shadow Knight faceplanting towards her. With its back exposed, Penelope sank all of her projectiles into the Demon. Ding! Experience +7 That¡¯s everything back there. Penelope braced her hands on her knees and allowed herself to catch her breath. The gymnastics and running had dropped her stamina down to the single digits. Ding! Experience +3 Experience +3 ¡°Two more down.¡± Jeru announced as he appeared in front of her. ¡°Freddy took the Caster down, so all that¡¯s left is the Knight and a few little ones.¡± Casualties? Penelope thought as she walked towards the intersection. ¡°Aretha Reynolds, the other Hitter, died under the Wigon. The others stayed out of the fight and managed to survive.¡± Jeru motioned at the unconscious form of Kent, who leaned up against the wall on the east side of the intersection. ¡°Kent tried to get in a hit and got bounced off the wall, so they moved him to the side closer to the safe zone.¡± The blue Elf shook his head. ¡°The melee attackers need to stay out of the fight until they build up some more stats.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Circe turned around. Penelope hadn¡¯t realized that she¡¯d used her outside voice. Jeru had been talking to her like a regular person instead of in her head, and she¡¯d responded in kind. ¡°Don¡¯t put this on me.¡± Jeru snapped. ¡°You know that its better to converse with me in your head all the time.¡± Penelope blinked. ¡°Sorry, I was just thinking about how Kent was moved.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I agree that it¡¯s the best place for him.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The blonde teen looked disappointed. ¡°If you¡¯re done talking, we could use your help over here!¡± Frederica walked out of the room to their right with Bradley on her heels. ¡°I don¡¯t know how many more of these things are in there, and Oakley could use someone who can shoot to take out that Tank!¡± Penelope looked down the tunnel where Oakley was doing his best to stand in the middle of the path, keeping anything from getting around him, but it was also keeping Robert from being able to shoot around him. ¡°I killed one!¡± Circe¡¯s face brightened as she held up her bow. ¡°It takes three shots, but I can kill one of the bugs!¡± Penelope looked over at Marlow. The older man patted the crossbow in his right hand. ¡°I counted sixteen minions and two bosses.¡± Marlow looked over at the three people behind her, then back at Penelope. ¡°Go. We¡¯ve got this.¡± ¡°I want to try something¡­¡± Penelope walked past Frederica and pointed her wand down the tunnel. She focused on where the Shadow Knight was standing. The Demon had its shield angled just slightly so that if she cast anything from the ceiling, it would hit the top part of the shield. Penelope focused on the ground. When she¡¯d been practicing with the spell the day before, casting it on the ground would create a couple palm-sized ice patches, then the spell would fizzle. None of them had been thick enough or close enough together to create what she could by letting it just hail on top of an area. This time when she focused on the floor, she held the spell as she changed it to firing up instead of down. Her vision swam as she focused on the alteration, but she held onto the spell, then whispered the words. ¡°Hail Storm.¡± A barrage of ice pellets shot out of the ground, bouncing off the back of the Demon¡¯s shield. The Shadow Knight shrieked as it dropped the defensive item and jumped backwards, out of the erupting spell. ¡°NOW!¡± Frederica shouted as she pointed at the defensiless Demon. ¡°OAKIE! GET DOWN!¡± Their Tank hit the floor as Circe and Robert blasted their skills and spells down the hallway. Ding! Experience +7 Penelope canceled the spell. ¡°I think we got him.¡±